


Draluram

by ironhoshi



Series: Lava Bowl Universe [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: Jedi Apprentice Series - Jude Watson & Dave Wolverton, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, And then everyone realized Obi-Wan needs therapy, But I swear there will be snuggles, But just to be safe I am warning you, Canon is more like a guideline, Fusion of Star Wars Legends and Disney Canon, I accidentally wrote a sitcom, I am so sorry, I do what I want, I just cracked open the can of bb padawan years, I know I tagged mentions of past trauma but oh buddy, It is really just Jango obsessing about Obi-Wan, It starts with struggles, Jango and Obes share one brain cell half the time, KOTOR lore, M/M, Mandalorian Competency Kink, Not a dark fic, Obsessive Behavior, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Soulmate- ability to taste, Stop eating spicy foods, This will be a healthy relationship when it happens, Trade Federation happens to be a bunch of jerks, Zeffo or bust, bowl of lava, but you might want to hit him?, double kriff, i have no idea what i am doing, lava bowl universe, mentions of past trauma, this isn't exactly bashing Qui-Gon Jinn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:02:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 73,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25577749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ironhoshi/pseuds/ironhoshi
Summary: "How could you be so reckless," Qui-Gon finally asked rhetorically in a tone that was eerily calm. That alone was a sign of how much trouble he was actually in and he barely stopped the flinch that wanted to escape. "You exposed us in less than a day. That is amazingly impressive, you've really outdone yourself this time."Obi-Wan could feel a faint pain in his palms as he let his nails bite into flesh. His hands were hidden under his poncho as he tried not to rise to the clear irritation coming from his Master. The damning look sent his way was too much and his mouth seemed to go against his will. "But, Master, I was not the one who announced we were Jedi to the Mandalorians," he said with the serenity of someone who had not punched anyone in the face and wrecked the mission. Qui-Gon actually seemed to choke on air and for what wasn't the first time Obi-Wan found himself wondering if he had gone too far.
Relationships: Jango Fett & Jaster Mereel, Jango Fett/Obi-Wan Kenobi, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Quinlan Vos, Qui-Gon Jinn & Obi-Wan Kenobi
Series: Lava Bowl Universe [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1902835
Comments: 1952
Kudos: 2642
Collections: Anything But Qui-Gon, Best of StarWars, Favorite Rereads, Yubi SW





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! So, I'm new to posting here and I have no idea what I am doing! Thank you for giving this a chance and please ignore the rust I am knocking off my writing skills. This idea struck me randomly and I just felt like I needed to share. I posted a blurb first on my Tumblr and people seemed to be really into it, so here we are! 
> 
> This is getting fleshed out into a longer story since there are all these ideas bouncing around in my head. Hope you enjoy this ride (ノ*´◡`)

Draluram- [DRAH-lur-ahm]  
_Vivid - used only for food, to indicate strong, distinct flavor, lit. *bright mouth* - one of the four essentials of Mandalorian cooking._

\-----

Obi-Wan couldn’t help thinking for a planet that seemed to be entrapped in an endless storm it sure didn’t seem angry. He only felt a sort of anticipation in the wind as he stood on the landing pad. Something was going to happen here, maybe not today and maybe not tomorrow, but something was going to happen. The problem was he hadn’t the foggiest idea what. His Master would have told him to focus on the here and now, not let his mind wander to fanciful ideas. Qui-Gon, it seemed, could follow the Force and believe in prophecies and the like, but Obi-Wan was being silly when he tried to talk about the will of the Force. It was a sore point and often came up in their debates. 

“Focus, Padawan,” Qui-Gon called as he began to finally leave the landing pad, pulling his hood up as he did so. Obi-Wan followed suit and tried not to think about how the drab green must look against his red hair. They were not wearing the normal robes of the Jedi, but instead wearing ponchos in an attempt to have some air of belonging. The lack of sleeves to hide his hands in was frustrating, to say the least. How was he supposed to fidget now? He supposed he could just hide his hands under the poncho, though it would not have the same feeling. He sighed before throwing a cautious glance at his Master’s back as they walked further into the settlement. He couldn’t help, but note that the buildings around him screamed of being ancient and modern. Duracrete was mixed expertly with natural rock and bits of durasteel and duraplast were visible. He could sense the care and pride. These were a people that were doing their best to keep a balance between the old ways of their ancestors and embracing new things that would help them thrive. He wanted to run his hands along walls and poke his head into alleyways. He wanted to explore. There was no way Qui-Gon was going to let him, at least not right now. They were heading to the local cantina to get a feel for the atmosphere amongst the locals. Having the Trade Federation trying to bully them into giving them access to some old ruins had to be stressful, more so now that Obi-Wan could see just how much this society was incorporating their history into their modern lives. 

What were even in those ruins? Zeffo was a tad of a mystery, even to the Jedi Temple. Obi-Wan had tried to research in the Archives and not much data had come up. He couldn’t help wondering why the Trade Federation was setting their sights on this planet. Why now? Why had their insistence reached the point where the people of Zeffo had actually reached out to the Senate? The Senate, of course, was not exactly willing to help since this planet didn’t belong to the Republic. So why were the Jedi sent? Obi-Wan disliked having so many questions and when he had tried to gather more information from his Master, well, the man had deflected. He got the feeling Qui-Gon knew just about as much as him and wasn’t willing to admit they were heading into this mission rather blind.

Things would probably go as well as they normally did.

Eventually they were situated in the local cantina. He sat a few seats away from his Master and risked pulling his hood down. Qui-Gon didn’t poke at him through the training bond so he figured this was alright. It wasn’t like his Padawan braid was going to give him away since it was tucked safely underneath a knit cap. He looked, or at least he hoped he looked, like just some teenager that was looking for work and a good meal. He must have been right since the waitress slammed a glass of blue milk in front of him before he could even order. 

“Thank you,” he said softly with a forced nervous grin. He earned himself a raised eyebrow and a fist on a hip from the waitress. 

“When is the last time you ate, kid?” She had a look on her face that told him he better not try and lie. Obi-Wan suddenly felt himself shrinking and debated just how wise it was to say he had eaten a few bites of a ration bar a few cycles ago. He hadn’t been hungry, plus his Master needed to keep up his energy. 

“Yesterday,” he lied easily and she seemed to buy it because she tsked and pointed to a board near the bar. “Pick something, I am not asking.” How could he argue with that? He felt faint amusement come from his Master and he just knew his cheeks were flushing. 

“Uh, the...stew?”

“It’s spicy if you can taste,” her abrupt nature softened faintly and he quickly shook his head to let her know he couldn’t taste. She gave a curt nod and vanished off to place his order. So even Zeffo dealt in soulmates, which made sense. The idea of soulmates was hardly localized to Coruscant, no matter how much the holodramas seemed to make it seem like it was always some elite person and some less than well off person finding each other. Bant may have watched a holodrama or two and Obi-Wan, being the good friend that he was, had half paid attention while trying to read a book. The stories were ridiculous. He was ripped from his thoughts when a bowl of stew was set down in front of him that was accompanied by the waitress tsking as she tapped him under the chin. 

“Eat, dear, and eat it all. I’ll bring by some dessert when you finish that.”

He bit back a sigh and instead settled on flashing her a charming smile. Force, he hoped he had enough credits for this. Obi-Wan sighed as he pulled the bowl of supposedly spicy stew towards him. He spooned up a decent mouthful and tried the stew. There was a pause and then he settled into the normal feeling of indifference that followed eating food that was just there. Seventeen years, seventeen long years of nothing actually having flavor. Sometimes he thought he tasted just a hint of spice, but it was most likely just his mind playing tricks on him. The Jedi didn’t have attachments, something he was reminded quite a bit about by his Master every time he tried to sneak yet another animal back into his rooms, and that meant he had no luck of finding his soulmate. If Jedi didn’t have attachments then they didn’t have soulmates. That was the logical thinking of Obi-Wan and why he dared to try spicier and spicier food in an attempt to get even a tingle of flavor. Things might taste bland, but he could still feel the burn. He could make his lips hurt and pretend he tasted something other than kriffing _nothing._

Master Jinn just seemed to give him a faint look of disapproval every time he ordered a spicy dish, but he never stopped him. Maybe his Master thought he was going to get over this? Maybe he realized this was a useless battle? Obi-Wan shrank slightly under the disapproval each time, but this was the one thing he didn’t back down from. He wanted to taste. He wanted to experience _actual_ flavor that danced in his mouth. He had listened to smugglers talk about how things reminded them of a sunset on Naboo, bursting with radiant color and emotions. 

It was wrong for him to crave things like that. A Jedi was content, they did not run after emotions. Master Jinn said they weren’t supposed to feel emotions. They had bigger concerns, they had to see a bigger picture. Obi-Wan was used to the Force swirling about him when he selected certain dishes while they were on yet another mission. The Force seemed to tease him until he picked the spicy ones. He could not express that to his Master. No, Qui-Gon would not understand. The man would write it off as him being a teenager with fanciful ideas. Qui-Gon never took his mentions of the Force seriously. He made a face as he continued to eat and did his best to stop his mind from wandering. He was on a mission, he could behave like a Padawan and not let his mind get caught up on the idea of soulmates and things having flavor.

They were attempting to do their best to blend in. Which meant his Master was partaking in a game of sabacc while he was meant to just sit and listen, and supposedly receive motherly pity from the waitress. He was half paying attention to the game and faintly hoping that Qui-Gon didn’t bet anything they actually needed while on this planet when he sensed a new group of people enter the cantina. A sort of silence fell over the establishment and he couldn’t help leaning back in his seat, spoon raised halfway to his mouth, to see what exactly was going on. His surprise didn’t show on his face as he took in the sight of the Mandalorians in their beskar'gam. Well, that might throw a faint wrench into their mission if the Mandalorians figured out there were Jedi in the cantina. His mind started to dwell on the what if’s and the could be’s as he popped the spoon into his mouth.

Pain. 

Obi-Wan clutched the handle of the spoon hard as his mouth seemed to be taken over by actual lava. His nose began to burn as the sensation coursed through his body. His Master shot him a faint look as he felt his cheeks flush with mild discomfort and embarrassment. Fire, warmth, an exploding star, battles still to be fought- He swallowed and did his best to release his emotions into the Force before Qui-Gon caught on. He grabbed his glass of blue milk and did his best not to chug the liquid in an attempt to extinguish the inferno in his mouth. 

Well, kriff, this was going to really complicate things. A person only tasted flavors when they were finally near their soulmate and the only new people in the bar were Mandalorian. Double kriff. 

“I have a bad feeling,” he muttered in a raw voice as he stared down at the stew as if it was at fault. “A very bad feeling.” 

Qui-Gon sent a faintly concerned feeling through the bond and Obi-Wan quickly sent back reassurance. There was no way he could tell him what happened while they were still in the bar. He winced slightly before working at finishing the bowl of lava in front of him. There was no telling the next time he’d have a meal like this and he wasn’t about to let it go to waste, even if he was pretty sure he was killing off his newly developed sense of taste. His spoon had just scraped the bottom of the bowl to get the last of the meat when he suddenly heard some angry-sounding words from one of the Mandalorians while the others burst out laughing. They were loud. He could hear gauntlets hitting the table as they pounded it while laughing. Ah, yes, and there was the answer to his bad feeling. Obi-Wan slammed some credits on the table next to the bowl and silently let his Master know he was going outside for a moment. He needed air, he needed outside, he needed a way to stop the sudden thrumming inside his brain. He did his best not to run or draw attention to himself. The waitress noticed faintly and fixed him with a look that seemed to tell him he better be coming back inside for dessert or so help him she was going to drag him back. Obi-Wan couldn’t help the faint chill that raced down his spine at that. Why did she care so much? 

He shoved the door open and was blessed with a blast of cool air. He practically stumbled out of the cantina and just let the wind distract him. There was something soothing about the sound of the wind whistling between buildings, almost hypnotic, and it seemed to dull the thrumming. He no longer felt like a bunch of rancors were threatening to run straight through his mind. “Kriff,” he breathed out as he moved to lean against the side of the cantina. He just needed a moment to center himself. That surely wouldn’t be that hard to do now that he was out of the cantina, right? The Force or the galaxy seemed to think otherwise because no sooner had he started to fall into meditation than the door opened beside him. A sinking feeling in his stomach was met with a spike of anxiety. Jedi were calm, Jedi did not give in to their emotions, Jedi also did not run from their problems. Obi-Wan so wanted to run from this alleyway and straight back to the ship. He sensed the group before he forced his eyes open to glance at the door. There were five Mandalorians and they all seemed to be determined to surround him. He felt each gaze on him, though he might have been imagining it since it was frustratingly hard to tell while they wore helmets. Their visors were tinted to the point of being black and he couldn’t see their eyes. Obi-Wan realized several things at once, he was outnumbered, the weight of his lightsaber against his back was very much not a comfort in that moment, and he couldn’t run if he wanted to at this point. 

One of the Mandalorians finally moved and removed his helmet with great care. Obi-Wan was pretty sure he choked on his heart trying to escape out his throat, but he managed to keep an indifferent look on his face. Dark hair that threatened to be extremely curly when longer was paired with a pair of eyes that clearly judged the entire galaxy and found said galaxy lacking. There was steel in those eyes and he knew one wrong move would result in a fight. The spike of emotion he felt was quickly squashed down and then things went sideways, as they liked to do on missions. A faint hum of surprise escaped him as everything moved faster than it should have. One second he was leaning against the wall and the next a fist was tangled in the front of his poncho. He tried to brace himself with what little warning he had, but he found himself being yanked forward hard towards the eyes that could bring down an army. 

Yeah, double kriff _barely_ covered it…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to stalk me on Tumblr, please do.  
> https://ironhoshi.tumblr.com/
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter! If you wanna let me know what you liked or didn't, that would be cool. 
> 
> So once again, thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan twisted his head just a bit as he watched the cantina door open as they drew right alongside the entrance. The waitress stood there and he had the craziest compulsion to apologize. “The stew was lovely,” his words hitched as Qui-Gon tugged harder at his wrist to get him to pay attention to their sudden escape. “Sorry about not having dessert! I look forward to trying it sometime.” He raised his free hand to wave as they bolted past the cantina and the waitress that had acted as a bit of a mother tooka towards him. What a shame about that dessert- wait, no, wrong time for that thought to flit through his mind. He wanted to look over his shoulder to see what look she had on her face, but he knew doing so would result in him tripping as he ran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off- THANK YOU ALL! The outpouring of support is much appreciated and totally caught me off guard. 
> 
> Second, I know this is like a day after the first chapter, but I cannot promise a chapter every single day. I already had most of this written and just had to fine tune some stuff. (Also, make sure I didn't forget words.)
> 
> Shout out to my guest editor that helped me with some parts: @dom-i-nic on tumblr.

Akalendat- [ah-KAH-len-NAY-dat]  
_hard contact_

\-----

Obi-Wan could officially say this was the first time he had ever actually collided face to face with someone. He supposed he could use the defense of never being trained in how to stop an attack like this if one could even consider it an attack. No, that was absurd, it wasn’t an attack. His eyes widened, pupils dilating in pure surprise, as his lips were soundly covered by the Mandalorian’s. A Jedi didn't dabble in kissing or other activities that resulted in attachment. He could almost hear the outrage from his Master in his mind at the fact he was letting himself be kissed. He mentally argued with that thought for a split second, pointing out that he was hardly in control of this situation. It wasn’t like he had taunted the man into this. Oddly, his Master potentially being upset and the metaphorical argument took an abrupt backseat to the fact he was learning kissing was _terrifying_. The second the Mandalorian had crashed their lips together a shockwave had raced through his body and something inside his chest painfully clicked into place. Unexplainable warmth flooded him as taste seemed to explode across his very soul. He tasted of wild space, knowledge not yet learned, and above all else- revenge, with a hint of what Obi-Wan could only assume was cinnamon. Not that he actually knew what cinnamon tasted like, but that was hardly important at the moment. He was probably imagining it, but it was like the Force was sighing contentedly at what was happening. The Force, Obi-Wan decided, was very much broken. There was no reason it should be encouraging this insanity. The Force was broken and the galaxy no longer made sense. He was also very certain he should not want to chase after this flavor or the promise of knowledge. No, he needed to remind himself he was a Jedi, that he could detach himself from this moment, that he _should_ detach himself from this moment. There was only the Force- 

Suddenly the Force screamed in a warning that deafened him down to his core. He wrenched himself far enough away from the corrupting kiss to move just as his body seemed to take control. An arm jerked up as time seemed to stutter around him. Act now, stop whatever was about to arrive from witnessing the kiss. Now! His fist collided into the Mandalorian's jaw, which instead of angering the group, was met with a roar of laughter as if this whole situation was something fun. His knuckles hurt and he had the faint moment of wondering if the man's jaw was made of something other than bone. That was going to leave bruises on his skin and judging from the faint burn he probably had split a knuckle or two. Why had he done that? Why had the Force seemed so desperate? Had it not been content? There were now even more questions invading his mind as the Force or something seemed to whisper not yet- soon. Have patience. He opened his mouth to say something in his defense, to smooth over the punch, but there was no more time. 

A new warning spiked through him as the mission went truly sideways in a way that he knew would get placed on his shoulders. 

"PADAWAN," Qui-Gon's voice cracked thunderously over the area and the jovial attitude of the Mandalorians changed instantly. Obi-Wan felt like he had been violently submerged in a tank of bacta. Cold, shut off, confused. The warmth he had felt a mere second before was suddenly best described as a chunk of ice. At this point, it would not have surprised him to see a puff of air when he exhaled with how much his Master had changed the atmosphere. He supposed he should thank the Force for warning him and also curse it at the same time. There was the matter of being rescued from having to explain the rather confusing kiss, but now he was going to have to deal with attempting to make Qui-Gon listen to his explanation for the punch. Well, he would have to figure it out if they survived this encounter now that they were thoroughly outed as Jedi. 

“Jetii,” a modulated voice echoed accusingly in his ears. Which one had spoken? There was no time to look as he took the split-second distraction of Qui-Gon drawing their attention to hurl himself forward. The worn soles of his boots barely made a sound against the ground as he propelled himself towards a gap in the people surrounding him. The opening was small, but he was thankfully on the smaller side. This was one of the few times he didn’t end up cursing his shorter stature. He knew he was leaving himself vulnerable, knew this was the perfect chance for an attack, but he just wanted to get between the Mandalorians and his Master. Something was telling him that he wasn’t the one in danger and he just needed to get himself between the danger. He could stop the storm from striking Qui-Gon down if he was only fast enough. A whisper had him twisting to look back over his shoulder to stare at his possible downfall. The man was reaching forward just as Qui-Gon was reaching to snag Obi-Wan’s wrist as if to pull him into safety and out of whatever madness they had found themselves in. He felt his Master yank him the rest of the distance and a yell of surprise escaped him. He hadn’t noticed- the Force hadn’t warned him! The hilt of his lightsaber was no longer pressed against his back, no, it was now held captive in the same armored hand that had once been twisted in his poncho.

“My life,” he cried, twisting and stretching one arm back.

“Jango,” the Mandalorian said with a smirk.

“Leave it, you fool,” Qui-Gon snapped, tugging on Obi-Wan’s wrist where his fingers pressed hard enough to bruise. Obi-Wan hissed in pain and stumbled a few steps forward, tripping over his own feet as his Master broke into a run, dragging him along. A lightsaber was a Jedi’s life and his Master wasn’t even giving him the chance to retrieve the blade. Swallowing became hard as he focused on staying just behind his Master. _Jango, Jango, Jango._ Each hurried footfall seemed to make the name roar in his ears. The roar was so distractingly loud that he barely heard the Mandalorians move. He sensed them fan out, vanish even into the settlement around them. There was a sinking feeling in his stomach as he realized if they came from all sides at once there was no way he could stand between them and Qui-Gon. A situation like that would be easier to deal with if he had his lightsaber. He clenched his jaw, cheek ticking as he did, and sent a faint curse back towards Jango.

Right. No time to dwell on what had just happened. Obi-Wan had to focus on somehow keeping the both of them alive or at least in one piece. 

“We need to run through the alleys,” he yelled to his Master and received only annoyed anger through the bond. Ah, yes, it was blatantly clear that Qui-Gon somehow thought everything was his Padawan’s fault. Well, that was just brilliant. Obi-Wan twisted his head just a bit as he watched the cantina door open as they drew right alongside the entrance. The waitress stood there and he had the craziest compulsion to apologize. “The stew was lovely,” his words hitched as Qui-Gon tugged harder at his wrist to get him to pay attention to their sudden escape. “Sorry about not having dessert! I look forward to trying it sometime.” He raised his free hand to wave as they bolted past the cantina and the waitress that had acted as a bit of a mother tooka towards him. What a shame about that dessert- wait, no, wrong time for that thought to flit through his mind. He wanted to look over his shoulder to see what look she had on her face, but he knew doing so would result in him tripping as he ran. His Master was already annoyed thanks to the punch and he didn’t want to risk more ire by being clumsy. He did note, despite the darker emotions bleeding into the bond, that his Master was turning them into an alley that would let out closer to the ship. It wasn’t a clear shot. They would still have to run across the entirety of the landing pad and anything could go amazingly wrong in that amount of time. The wind seemed to pick up around them and he jerked them hard to the side just as a blaster bolt seared the ground where his Master’s feet had been. His gaze flicked towards the sky and he knew a swear word escaped him as he couldn’t see past the roof ledges. They had to be above! He had the most inappropriate thought that his early assessment as they had been landing the ship that buildings looked like they had flat roofs was most likely spot on. 

They were brilliant tacticians if they were using the settlement against them like this. He could only hope that someday in the future he would be that good.

“Left,” he barked out and his Master surprisingly listened. Another black mark exploded crudely near where boots had been a mere moment before. Obi-Wan had the forlorn thought of realizing that he would most certainly not get to explore this settlement to his heart’s content now. They were far too busy outrunning kriffing blaster bolts! Something itched at the back of his mind as it tried direct his attention to where the bolts were aimed. Not a single one had really gotten that close to him, but it was probably only because his Master was an easier target to hit. 

Something told him to duck, fast and urgent, and he wasn’t exactly positive it was the Force. Obi-wan ducked, drawing both hands in, the free one coming up to clamp over his hat, the one in Qui-Gon’s vice grip going to cover his stomach, but the movement slowed down Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan’s run just a fraction. He felt a twinge of annoyance down their bond and then Qui-Gon turned his head back to throw Obi-Wan a glare and yank his wrist forward because they had to keep on going and- a whistle, Qui-Gon’s eyes widened, his master took a face full of helmet. Obi-Wan flinched. Qui-Gon grunted, the sound echoing in Obi-Wan’s ears. He wasn’t sure what was worse- the helmet crunching into flesh or the groan of pain, but both sounds were seared into his memory. His master stumbled from the impact, dragging Obi-Wan forward a few steps. Instinctively, Obi-Wan reached out and caught the helmet just before it hit the ground. Beside him, Qui-Gon was pouring pain and annoyance into their bond and Obi-Wan just knew that he was in for a lecture.

He flashed his Master an apologetic smile as he turned, flinging his arm out and drawing on the force to lob the helmet back at the Mandalorian who had thrown it. The helmet thumped solidly against Jango’s armored chest, knocking him back a few steps but even as he stumbled, he threw Obi-Wan a quick wink and grin. Obi-Wan felt himself blush and cursed his light skin. Today made no sense and he had the sudden urge to just sit down with a cup of tea until this all passed. There was laughter from various areas around them; Obi-Wan had the sinking feeling that they were being toyed with. Tea would need to wait. His Master clearly hadn’t come to the same conclusion yet, but in all fairness, it was extremely difficult to find the humor in a situation like this if one was bleeding from a most likely broken nose.

He straightened fast, like a taut spring breaking free, and didn’t give his Master time to object as he pushed with his free hand. Ship, they needed to get to the ship! This game could turn deadly any second, the blaster bolts could hit just a little closer, and there could come a moment where he needed to fight. What good would his fists be against blasters? “Master,” his voice came out a tad frantic as he tried to usher the man back into running. Sharp annoyance whipped across the bond and cracked behind his eyes. A headache was starting to form at an alarming speed from the number of unwanted emotions in his head. “Yes, I am aware this is bad, how terribly inconsiderate of me right now, but please- move.” The very planet seemed to sense the urgency because the wind lashed out, nearly toppling Obi-Wan into Qui-Gon, and oddly that was what got his Master moving. They ran with the wind towards the ship while the gusts of air howled like a pack of hounds chasing after them. He could feel the phantom nips at his heels that drove him to keep running.

“We’re almost there,” he could feel the hysteria trying to spill out of his mouth. The ship was within sight, but he wasn’t about to let himself be lured into making a mistake now. Quinlan was so never going to let him live this down when he heard the actual story and not whatever twisted version was going to get reported to the Council. He’d worry about that later, he needed to focus on them both getting across the open space and onto the ship. The soundless order that didn’t belong to the Force came again and he stretched his free arm out behind him. Fingers were spread out wide and the second he felt something slam into his palm he closed them like a trap. Obi-Wan blinked and glanced over his shoulder at his hand to see what he caught. A bag? He didn’t dare try to inspect further while still running so he did the practical thing, he jammed it into his belt for later. Qui-Gon’s grip became more vice-like on his wrist as the man seemed to get a second burst of energy. He didn’t have time to raise a hand to his hat as they sprinted the last distance to the ship. The wind or the speed knocked the hat right off his head, which was really just his luck lately. The knitted creation fell hard to the landing pad beneath his feet as if it was made of stone, defying the wind, and Obi-Wan had the irrational thought that the very planet was trying to keep some of his things. 

Zeffo, it seemed, was going to go down as one of the fastest failures of a mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...was that close enough to punching Qui-Gon in the face? I was writing this and thinking, "They are gonna be so upset I punched Jango." 
> 
> Once again I am on tumblr @ironhoshi and I enjoy talking to people. Feel free to drop a random message or what not. I am already thinking up random one-shots and plan on fleshing out this world more. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chaotic chapter <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Next time just order a bowl of sugar,” Myles teased as he raised his mug of caf to take a long swig. 
> 
> Jango narrowed his eyes before handling that tease with all the maturity he could muster up- which was to say he picked up the cake with a hand and made sure to keep direct eye contact with his friend as he took a very large, angry bite. He froze. His brain wasn’t entirely sure what happened for a second before a sense of horror washed over his mouth. He choked loudly and forced himself to swallow the bite, but that drew the attention of everyone at the table. This was haran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I legit rolled a dice to decide if this went in the fic or went as a part of a collection.  
> The dice decided a filler chapter. That and it was pointed out to me that people might not know to look for this prompt out of control elsewhere. So to the anon on tumblr that asked what Obi-Wan tasted like? This chapter is 100% your fault and not that fact I did not want to be at work yesterday so I hand wrote most of this instead of, ya know, working.
> 
> PLEASE ENJOY THE MISADVENTURES OF LAVA BOWL AND SUGAR CAKE!

Ibac’ner [EE-bahk-NAIR]  
_That's mine, it's mine._

\----

A plate containing a rather large slice of cake was set down on the table in front of him, earning a few looks from his friends. The cake was dense, riddled with pockets of what was a supposedly sweet fruit, and mixed with swirls of a dark sugar- and something they always teased him about. Jango enjoyed lots of different foods, but this cake was a weakness. Sure, he couldn’t taste it, but he liked the texture. Kriff them. He did his best to glare at everyone while trying to thank Aviva at the same time. 

"You know, one of these times ordering that cake is going to kick you in the shebs," Aviva said with a slightly gruff affectionate tone. Jango flashed her a tight grin before she was turning away to pay attention to the rest of the patrons in her cantina. He liked her, he had actually liked her from the first time she had snapped a towel at the back of Myles' head during their first time visiting Zeffo. Myles had, of course, deserved the action. He had been building a tower out of their empty drinking cups at the time and Aviva had been half amused and half afraid she was about to have a floor full of broken drinkware. She hadn't cared an ounce they were Mandos, no, they were the guests in her world and those were her cups. So, yeah, Jango had a small soft spot for the waitress that didn't mind ordering them around whenever they were planetside. Jango snorted in neither agreement nor disagreement, he had yet to find a soulmate and today wasn’t going to be the day. He peeled his gauntlets off and set them next to his plate since he knew the cake would leave a residue on his gloves if he made the mistake of eating with his hands covered again. Once had been enough. Cleaning sticky residue from his blaster had taken hours, hours of relentless teasing from his team. Thankfully in the here and now, his comrades had already moved on from giving him smug looks about the cake, a sure sign of this was the fact Dez seemed to be doing their best to get Zhiaa’s attention without actually saying anything. Zhiaa merely took a sip from their glass and ignored everything. He wished they would take those antics and shove them. 

“Next time just order a bowl of sugar,” Myles teased as he raised his mug of caf to take a long swig. 

Jango narrowed his eyes before handling that tease with all the maturity he could muster up- which was to say he picked up the cake with a hand and made sure to keep direct eye contact with his friend as he took a very large, angry bite. He froze. His brain wasn’t entirely sure what happened for a second before a sense of horror washed over his mouth. He choked loudly and forced himself to swallow the bite, but that drew the attention of everyone at the table. This was haran. The list of swears that left his now corrupted mouth would have earned him a smack upside the head from his buir, but thankfully Jaster was not here to witness this undignified moment. Silence at the table following his outburst lasted a second before Dez and Zhiaa were leaning against each other, a clash of rose and obsidian hair between them, roaring with laughter. Myles actually had the nerve to hit the table several times with a fist as he threw head back to in a full-body laugh. 

“Jango,” came the soft and strained voice of Heddurk, “Are you...okay?” Bless Heddurk, he was now his favorite warrior. 

“Sweet.”

And then Heddurk burst out laughing as well and Jango officially hated everyone at this table. Bunch of traitors, thinking his sudden taste was funny- _Wait._ Sudden taste! Jango craned his head around to case out the room, but no one seemed to really stick out. His gaze went right over the figure slipping out the side door while Aviva watched on with a calculating look on her face as he tried to find the source of this new development. Ugh, he was going to have to interrogate everyone. 

Aviva made her way over to their table and his friends quieted down slightly, bouts of snickers and giggles still surrounded him. She planted a fist on her hip as she hit the table with her towel. “Really, children? There are only two new people here. One is that old man playing sabacc and the other just went outside,” she informed him with mild amusement as she pretty much pointed out he was being slow on the uptake. Everyone at the table leaned back in their seats as one to look at the old man playing sabacc. Dez snorted loudly and Zhiaa ended up having to hide her face behind a hand. The man had long graying hair, the top pulled back, and his poncho was well worn. He looked like a hermit, Jango thought rather unkindly. Dez’s snort turned into a full fit of hysterics so clearly she was having the same thought. Jango glanced up at Aviva with narrowed eyes and the waitress just raised an eyebrow at him. 

“He drank all of his blue milk.”

“What?” Jango blinked as he tried to figure how that phrase had anything to do with, well, anything. 

“The kid,” Aviva said with the slow patience of someone about to smack him upside the head. “Drank all of his blue milk while _slowly_ eating the spicy stew.” The laughter died at once and everyone at the table moved. Gauntlets grabbed, helmets secured. Message received.

“You,” Jango said with a wolfish grin as he yanked a glove into place. “Are the best waitress in the galaxy, Aviva.” He stood up and pressed a kiss to her cheek before moving to put his own buy'ce on. They had a target, an idea, and he was going to find out if it was his soulmate who had just escaped the cantina. Soulmates were important to those who claimed Mandalore as home. The rest of the galaxy found them important as well, but in a more silly romance way. Jango was more interested in the stories of warriors bonded together that took on armies and lived. They were supposed to be a terrifying sight to see, moving in sync as they took down their enemies. Jaster had let him read quite a few of the older stories and his favorite were always the ones where soulmates saved some planet after facing horrible odds. He wanted that, he wanted someone at his side that would know his darkest secrets and share them, accept them. His gaze was cast towards the old man again and he made a face under his helmet. Yeah, he did not want to be bonded to that one. That looked like a person who would judge him for sometimes thinking about shooting his friends in their shins when they really annoyed him. He raised a hand and motioned for said friends to follow him on the hunt.

“Time to find Jango’s new best friend,” Heddurk’s voice came over the helmet comms, and that was quickly followed by Dez laughing, Zhiaa snickering, and Myles humming in agreement.

“Shut up,” Jango snapped. He was stranding them all here when he finally left Zeffo.

Aviva just watched them go with a faint knowing smile on her face. She knew they’d be back to pay their tab, no matter the time that passed so she clearly wasn't worried. Jango made his way across the cantina, friends behind him, and could sense the old man looking at him without making it obvious. That was one they might have trouble with later it seemed, but he would worry about that if a problem arose. He took a step back when they reached the exit and let Zhiaa open the side door first, her stance tense and ready for a fight. A quick motion of all-clear was all they needed to move outside. He was a little disappointed that they didn’t have to go far to find the person that had escaped the cantina. He did note that the stranger opened their eyes to glance at them cautiously which meant they weren’t some complete oblivious fool. He studied the way the person held themselves as if resigning themselves to some sort of trouble they couldn’t avoid, and he felt a faint thrill race down his spine. He didn’t even need to order everyone to basically box the person in, they had all been hunting together long enough that it was just second nature to fall into a formation. Once he was sure their prey wasn’t going to escape easily he did the unthinkable; Jango took his helmet off and he could sense his friends stiffen at the action. 

Blue eyes seemed to challenge him. They weren’t saying a word, they weren’t trying to escape, they were just standing there as if daring him to move. 

It could only be described as pure impulse with a strong helping of a vague feeling that drove him to reach towards the person they had surrounded. There was a deafening silence as life seemed to wait for whatever was coming. Gloved fingers twisted into the fabric of the poncho just before he yanked his arm back hard. The motion caused the poncho to billow out backward as his victim pretty much lurched forward. Dez made a hand motion to everyone else that Jango caught out the corner of his eye. Armed, the person was armed. Good. Not a fool then if he carried a concealed weapon. The odds were in his favor that this was the reason he had choked on a mouthful of cake. The cloyingly sweet taste still assaulted his mouth and it was now time to fix that, and maybe get a little revenge. Jango slammed his lips against the other’s and everything seemed to focus sharply around him, rather like he had been looking through damaged visor before and now he had a clear one to judge the galaxy out of going forward.

Fresh ozone after a violent thunderstorm, a shocking amount of self-doubt mixed with learned confidence, the sudden roaring of a waterfall- and a splash of what he could only assume was vanilla. One word rang out in his head, one simple word that was going to change everything. _Mine._ He wanted to rip away the self-doubt and create a warrior out of his soulmate. He perhaps thought that too quickly, since the galaxy answered with a sort of rushed zeal to prove that thought wrong. There was the faintest spike of panic infiltrating his mind that he knew wasn’t his. Jango wanted to smile at the fact he had managed to pull off forming an actual soulbond within moments of discovering his soulmate was nearby, but he didn’t have time. The redheaded teenager was moving fast and a new sort of feeling was suddenly blossoming across his face. He actually felt his head whip to the side at the strength of the punch and his heart sang.

Ah, his soulmate was a _warrior_ after all. He turned his gaze back to the new center of his galaxy and could read the apology in those eyes. No, no, Mandalorians didn’t apologize for something so deserved! He had stolen that kiss, basically thrust a stranger into his world, so a punch was the least he was owed at this point. His friends laughed at the whole scene in front of them. If he had been wearing his helmet he would have gotten to enjoy whatever was being said over the private channels. Leave it to them to only let laughter be the only thing broadcasted outside the helmets. The brazen punch had been far more impressive to them than Jango being a di’kut and he couldn’t help wondering just what he was going to have to deal with later. 

“PADAWAN,” the word lashed across the area like a vibroblade, striking down any ounce of amusement in the atmosphere. Jango didn’t pull his gaze away from his target because he knew his comrades would turn towards the new threat. Zhiaa’s voice broke through the stifling silence, modulated by her helmet, and he felt his fingers spasm with the need to grab his blaster at the single word. “Jetii.” Not jetiise, Jango noted, they all seemed to be in silent agreement that the jetii had already lost claim to the one in their midst. Things between the jetii and the Mandalorians had been tense well before the near miss at Galidraan. Galidraan had nearly toppled them into an all out war again thanks to certain robed di’kuts sticking their nose where it didn’t belong and since then it was clear any spark was ready to set off more conflict. Jetii claimed themselves to be peacekeepers, but Jango thought them more like rodents. Unwanted and popping up where they were not needed. The arrival of one on Zeffo, while they were on a hunt, was not welcome. His attention shifted just a little to take in the hand sign Myles threw out. _Fan out?_ A faint jerk of his head was all the approval he had to give. That momentary distraction, though slight it was, seemed to be just enough time for the supposed Padawan to lunge forward. They all seemed to freeze for a moment as their helmets turned towards the gutsy teenager. A large grin, full of teeth and near malice, plastered itself on his face as he saw a means to strike a blow at the jetii if his hunch was right. His soulmate would get over it, maybe. Probably. He’d sort that out later.

The jetii was moving closer, his other half moving further away, and Jango took the chance. His gloved hand reached beneath the poncho and he wasn’t the least bit surprised when he was rewarded with a jetii’kad. 

“My life,” the cry came as the escaping boy twisted back in horror when he felt the absence of weight against his lower back. Jango felt the emotion and almost had a moment of feeling a little bad for his actions. Almost.

“Jango,” he replied with an actual smile just meant for the near jetii. He’d learn that they were meant for each other, that they’d fight side by side, he wouldn’t need the jetii’kad once he had a proper weapon.

“Leave it, you fool,” the actual jetii snarled. Jango’s fingers tightened on the hilt and he felt the wave of turmoil slam up against his mind like he was some cliff to be etched away in the face of a sea. The bond was working well and it was clear the other had no idea it was in place yet, not if they were bleeding strong emotions like that into his mind. He raised his free hand and motioned for his fellow Mandalorians to do what they did best- _hunt._ He was going to make the disheveled jetii pay for causing those blue eyes to become panicked and brimming with emotions. 

“Geroya,” he ordered as an afterthought and several helmets nodded at him before everyone took off. There wasn’t a chance of anyone striking his soulmate, but he had still felt the protective need to remind them to treat this like a game. Now, if someone slipped up and hit the jetii? He wasn’t going to complain one bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I guess what was Chapter 3 is now gonna be Chapter 4... I am still writing it, I just got extremely distracted by a grumpy Jango and cake. 
> 
> Thank you for putting up with me trying my best. I love each and every question I am getting and I am attempting to answer the ones I can. Some things I don't want to give away yet since I have plans, some I will totally answer. On the whole, I am just excited to talk with you all.
> 
> Also:  
> Geroya [geh-ROY-ah]- game, play (literally nearly-hunt).


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They were going to have to talk. 
> 
> He was going to have to apologize. Their relationship was only recently getting back on track after he had gone over Qui-Gon’s head to the Council while on a different mission. One, that he might add, had also gone extremely sideways. To this day he was still not a fan of flying a ship thanks to that time on Pijal or the space surrounding the planet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I am posting this while at work, so we are all about to find out how mobile updates work. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Tok’Kad [toh-KAHD]  
 _retreat_

\---

Each painful second of running across the landing pad had Obi-Wan waiting for some sort of trap to spring. He pictured a rain of red caused by blaster bolts blocking them in like a sheet of fire and that image didn’t leave his head even as they ran up the ramp of their ship. Qui-Gon entered before him and the second they were both inside he whirled around to slam his hand against the controls. The door slid shut and he felt a minor spike of irritation that he knew wasn’t his. His brows knit together as he tried to figure out where that unwanted emotion had come from. That was...odd. He was pretty positive he just felt relieved to have made it to the ship, also confused as to what the kriff had just happened to him. He didn’t have time to dwell on the feelings before his Master’s hand landed on top of his head for a moment. He blinked before glancing up as he sent a wave of reassurance through their bond. They were on the ship, the threat was less now. The sentiment was returned with a mixture of worry and annoyance. He gave the Jedi Knight a strained smile and earned a ruffling of his hair. So his Master wasn't completely angry with him it seemed.

They were going to have to talk. 

He was going to have to apologize. Their relationship was only recently getting back on track after he had gone over Qui-Gon’s head to the Council while on a different mission. One, that he might add, had also gone extremely sideways. To this day he was still not a fan of flying a ship thanks to that time on Pijal or the space surrounding the planet. Qui-Gon was already moving, rushing to the cockpit so they could escape Zeffo altogether. He sent a small thanks to the Force that Qui-Gon was the one insisting on flying them off of Zeffo since it meant he didn’t have to fly and that it bought him time before he had to calmly explain what he didn’t understand. He stood there for a moment more before running through the ship to snag medical supplies for the broken nose his Master sported thanks to one well aimed flying helmet. Now that he had a moment to calm down and look back at the whole thing he was left wondering just why Jango had done that. 

“Padawan,” the call came from the cockpit just as his fingers closed around the medical bag. “Coming,” he shouted back before doing as he said. He ran through the small ship and barely threw himself into the co-pilot seat as the ship took off rather hard. Oh, look, his heart was trying to escape out his mouth again, but for clearly a different reason. “Smooth,” he remarked dryly as he clutched the medical bag tightly and earned himself a faint look from his Master. A mixture of fondness and the now ever present annoyance. 

The escape from the atmosphere left him feeling off center for a moment. Gravity had a way of pulling until the last second and then just vanishing the second the stars appeared in front of the ship. Obi-Wan shifted in his seat, messing with some buttons as he focused the scanners behind them. He blinked and tapped the screen slightly in mild confusion. It was broken.

“Problem, young one?” 

“They...aren’t following.” 

“Some people would not call that a problem, but rather a blessing,” Qui-Gon pointed out as he began to work on charting a jump to hyperspace. “I’ve already sent a quick message to the Council that we are returning to Coruscant and someone else is needed on Zeffo.” Obi-Wan winced faintly, but kept his mouth shut. He, instead, waited for the jump into hyperspace to happen before he opened the medical bag. His fingers shook a little as he screwed the cap off the container of salve and a sour smell hit his nose. Bacta, it seemed, smelled worse and stronger than he remembered. Without a word he unbuckled himself from his seat so he could start to apply bacta to his Master’s nose. Qui-Gon didn’t move away from the action which meant the injury had to hurt more than he was letting on. The bruising that was forming had a hiss of sympathy escaping him as he felt a faint wave of guilt wash over him. Somehow, he wasn’t quite sure how yet, this was because of him.

“I need to set it,” he said softly. “If you’ll let me, Master.”

Qui-Gon seemed to close his eyes as if to steel himself before he nodded. Obi-Wan only half knew what he was doing and made a mental note to take more first aid classes. Some Jedi could heal with the Force, but he was not one of them. He was going to have to learn more first aid skills as soon as they got back to the Temple in the off chance something like this was going to happen again. He waited until his Master turned his face towards him and then he did his best to set the nose quickly back into place. The bacta was slippery under his fingers and he realized next time he was going to have to set the nose first and then apply the medicine. The feeling of annoyance subsided and he had a moment of wondering just how much of that had been on his side. 

“Master-” 

Qui-Gon held a hand up to silence him, a request to let him gather his thoughts. So Obi-Wan just sank back down into the co-pilot’s seat and fiddled with packing the med kit back up. Once the bag was back in order he set it on the dash, safely away from any buttons, and just waited. A hand came up to tug at his padawan braid nervously and he stopped himself. No, he was still trying to break himself of that nervous habit. He pursed his lips into a line as he settled on crossing his arms underneath the poncho like it was a thin armor between him and the great big galaxy. It shouldn’t bother him that the Mandalorians hadn’t chased after them, he should feel relieved, but he couldn’t help the faint thought the chase had ended rather, well, anticlimactically. That was a thought he was going to keep to himself and never utter out loud in front of his Master. He was positive he and his Master had very different opinions about how things had ended. 

"How could you be so reckless," Qui-Gon finally asked rhetorically in a tone that was eerily calm. That alone was a sign of how much trouble he was actually in and he barely stopped the flinch that wanted to escape. "You exposed us in less than a day. That is amazingly impressive, you've really outdone yourself this time."  
Obi-Wan could feel a faint pain in his palms as he let his nails bite into flesh. His hands were still safely hidden under his poncho as he tried not to rise to the clear irritation coming from his Master. The damning look sent his way was too much and his mouth seemed to go against his will. "But, Master, I was not the one who announced we were Jedi to the Mandalorians," he said with the serenity of someone who had not punched anyone in the face and wrecked the mission. Qui-Gon actually seemed to choke on air and for what wasn't the first time Obi-Wan found himself wondering if he had gone too far.

“Master,” he tried again and shifted a hand free of the poncho so he could pinch the bridge of his nose. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I still do not quite understand what happened… I lost myself.” The sudden hand on his wrist caused him to jump faintly and he cast a glance at Qui-Gon. The grip was gentle, almost comforting. He was trying to convey that he wasn’t completely upset and Obi-Wan understood that. 

“It would be safe to say we both lost ourselves. Go meditate. But, Obi-Wan, I am still mad at you.” 

“I know.”

“But, I need to figure out why I am mad at you.”

“That’s fair, Master.”

Obi-Wan gave a jerky nod before he twisted his captured arm enough so he could clasp his Master’s wrist. A faint squeeze and they both released their grips. He stood up carefully and gave a slight bow of his head. The annoyed affection drifted across the bond, pulling at his lips until he had a faint smile on his face. There was still damage to their relationship, but punching a Mandalorian had not destroyed everything they were striving to rebuild. With that final farewell, he left the cockpit to go hide in the cargo hold. There was a spot, in the corner, behind some crates of supplies that he liked to sit when he really needed to think. Qui-Gon either ignored the spot or simply didn’t know and Obi-Wan found he didn’t exactly care to know the answer of which it was. So he just walked slowly through the ship, a hand tugging at his braid as he did, and frowned deeply. Something was wrong with his mind, he had noticed the irritation wasn’t going away and it was something he was going to have to investigate away from his Master. He knew, logically, he should turn to Qui-Gon, but they had already talked about him being more independent. Surely this was the perfect time for him to be independent? He made his way through the cargo hold and crouched down to duck under some netting near the back. The space was just big enough for him, but he had to twist his body in a way that made his back complain just to get himself in a seated position. There may have been a banged elbow or head as he situated himself, but that pain was ignored. Obi-Wan finally found himself relaxing when his back was against the wall and his sides were blocked in by a crate and more wall on either side.

Safe. Protected.

Breathe in, breathe out. 

His eyes fluttered shut as he turned his attention inward to see just what had decided to plague his mind. This would have been easier at the Temple, with the guidance of someone, but he could do this. He could figure out why it felt like he was making the wrong choice by running from Zeffo. Obi-Wan dropped into the Force as he let himself fall towards meditation to find the answers. _Guide me._ A warmth seemed to explode from his chest again as he gasped into the emptiness of the cargo hold in front of him. That warmth was a stark contrast from the coldness inside the ship and it reminded him of...Jango. His eyes flew open as he pretty much found himself ripped back into the here and now. The Force was letting him know he already knew the answer, he knew why he felt irritation. Mother of Moons, he had a bond with that Mandalorian! Now that he was aware of it he could at least slam shields up around it until he could figure out how to rid himself of this new development. The Force seemed to frown at him at that thought. Great, the Force, which he still thought broken, didn’t want him to get rid of whatever strange bond had formed. 

“Note to self,” he muttered as he stretched his legs out so he was more comfortable. “Look up soulmate lore when we get back to the Temple.” He didn’t know enough about soulmates to know why he had this bond now. The educated guess he could come up with had to do with the kiss, but that was as far as his mind seemed to be able to go. Did he go to Qui-Gon now about the matter? 

Jedi did not have soulmates, he reminded himself. They had the Force. 

“Ah,” he suddenly exclaimed as he twisted to grab the bag he had secured to his belt. Thinking about soulmates made him think about Jango, which of course made him think about the bag. Fingers hooked the material easily and he pulled it free so he could inspect his prize. The fabric was a pale dusky blue and surprisingly soft. Did he just open it? Why had Jango thrown it at him? Oh, what if he had just brought something onto the ship that was a horrible idea? Not that the bag was very large. He highly doubted his true downfall was in something that could fit in the palm of his hand. His free hand seemed to hover over the bag for a second before he finally undid the ties securing it shut. The bag popped open and a few crystalline looking balls fell out. He scrambled to catch them before they could hit the floor and earned himself another banged elbow. Thank the Force for his fast reflexes. The objects were caught easily and he found himself staring at them with mild confusion. 

They looked like tiny versions of star charts, but not exactly detailed. More an impression of one. Obi-Wan put several of them back inside of the bag before holding one up towards the ceiling so he could peer at it while his confusion grew. It was kind of see through, but there were little pockets of air trapped inside from what he could tell. “Huh.” The longer he stared the more it reminded him of a confection of some sort, rather like one of those candies Dex kept in a jar behind the counter at his diner. He had never had one of those candies, despite Dex offering, so he had no idea if this tiny ball was like those at all. Why would Jango throw a bag of candy at him? His nose scrunched in thought as he tried to sense if there was any malice surrounding the object in his fingers. Nothing. Right, well, just staring at it wasn’t going to enlighten him any and if this was a trap then it was wiser to just get it over with and spring the stupid thing. So Obi-Wan popped the small object into his mouth and was a little caught off guard by a sharp sourness that quickly gave away to a sweetness. Ah, it was candy after all. He felt a little less like an idiot. He tentatively tried to bite the candy and decided against that when it didn’t seem to crack any thanks to his teeth. The taste wasn’t unpleasant and he wasn’t dying so this minor adventure was an all around win. 

“Now, what’s this,” he frowned as he felt something different in the bag as he ran his thumb over the material. He dumped about half the candy into the palm of his hand and let out a long sigh when a communicator also fell free. The model was much nicer than the one he had, he had to admit that, but he also had to admit a bag of candy and a communicator was hardly going to make up for the loss of his lightsaber. He set the bag on his lap before picking the comm up so he could study it closely. There was a faint feeling of wanting to turn it on just so he could hear the other’s voice, but he shoved that aside as he narrowed his eyes.

“What game are you playing, Jango?” 

Obi-Wan clutched the comm in his fist as he leaned his head back against the wall. Meditation was going to elude him at this point so he just settled on closing his eyes to relax. The sound of the ship going through hyperspace was oddly soothing as he focused on the sweet candy in his mouth. His lips twitched before a ghost of a smile danced across them. Sweet. He decided he rather liked the sweet candy, it wasn’t assaulting his mouth like the bowl of lava soup had. On a whole, he thought as he started to drift off, Zeffo had actually gone a lot better than their last mission. No one had actually tried to kill him this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys. Listen. Thank you for all the comments here and on tumblr. I am doing my best to answer them all. I have said it before and I shall say it again- I love chatting with you. 
> 
> Now brb I gotta get back to work.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Your soulmate probably would," Quinlan said while wiggling his eyebrows. Obi-Wan wanted to be insulted, really, but he found himself laughing. "But seriously, Obes, I won't tell a soul. We will figure this out. Sithspit, I don't think any at the Temple has had a soulmate in…" A frown appeared on his face as he seemed to actually think about the fact a Jedi had a soulmate. Obi-Wan could see the moment Quinlan came to the same conclusion as him- a Jedi with a soulmate was going to be trouble. "Oh. Oh… this is amazing. You've outdone yourself and only I know!" Or Quinlan had missed the point entirely, as usual. Oddly it was Quinlan who convinced him later not to tell anyone else, at least not yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You get an update while I am at work again. Yay coffee break!!! 
> 
> Our state, along with most of the East Coast took a beating earlier this week and work has been extremely busy with emergency calls. I get home and pass out, but last night I managed to knock a huge chunk of this out. >.> and then I wrote more this morning.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy!

Atin [ah-TEEN]  
 _stubborn, tenacious, capable of endurance_

\---

"Master Jinn," Master Windu greeted them as they disembarked the ship and Obi-Wan couldn't help feeling a tad slighted. That faint thought seemed to draw Mace's eyes towards him and he forced a polite smile. Sometimes he thought Master Windu could see into his mind and this moment only loaned to that thought being the actual truth. "Your message was unexpected," Mace kept going as he turned his attention back to Qui-Gon. "Unfortunately the Council is tied up at the moment with something else. Which means you have to answer to me."

This was it, he could feel his stomach drop as he realized he was about to be thrown right into a world of trouble. They hadn't talked much on the trip back, something he had been thankful for at the time, and now it was going to cost him. Sure, he and his Master seemed okay after the events of Zeffo, but Qui-Gon had a duty, to tell the truth as he saw it and there was clearly no dancing around the fact a Mandalorian had been punched. His Master shifted slightly next to him, tucking his hands into his sleeves as he crossed his arms over his chest, a stance Obi-Wan recognized as a sort of standing his ground in the face of a conversation he felt pointless. This was going to be over fast and it was hardly the first time they hadn't been on the same wave-length and he braced himself for what was to come. Obi-Wan sent a mental curse towards Jango, who was the root of all of his problems.

"We were discovered by a group of Mandalorians, by no fault of our own, and they took a particular interest in my young Padawan. I felt it prudent we leave before things got...out of hand."

What?

Obi-Wan had to stop himself from looking shocked and barely managed to keep his expression neutral. That was most definitely not what had happened! It was really some sort of miracle that he didn't blush as Master Windu finally turned his gaze towards him, judging. "And how do you remember things playing out while on Zeffo, Padawan?" And now he could feel his Master's gaze on him as well. This was most certainly not one of the times he wanted to be the certain of attention, but lately getting what he wanted was rare.

"I'm afraid it all happened so fast," he found himself saying with ease. The truth was dancing with a lie at this point. Everything had happened fast. He just wasn't mentioning the kiss or the punch, so a lie by omission. A lie that weighed heavy on his tongue. Obi-Wan tried to do as the Council said, tried to be the perfect Padawan, but here he stood actually following his Master's lead. "One moment we were fine and the next...it was as Master Jinn says. The Mandalorians had taken an interest." Master Windu narrowed his eyes slightly before finally just giving a nod. His attention was already turning to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan wanted to just sit down. He knew Master Windu didn't buy the story, but it appeared this event was just going to slide. He couldn't fathom why. The Council should have cried for a meeting and then given him some sort of punishment. What the kriff was going on? He barely paid attention as the two Masters walked off together, heads bowed as they talked about something, but he did, in fact, pay attention when a body slammed into him. All the air left his lungs forcefully as he did his best to not fall over from the impact. His arms came up automatically to wrap around Quinlan's neck as he debated strangling his friend. 

"You were eavesdropping."

"It isn't eavesdropping if I wasn't hiding," Quinlan said cheekily. He was frowning and Obi-Wan had the feeling he was the reason why. "The Temple was abuzz with the fact you were returning so soon after heading out. Bant and the others are worried." Ah, he was indeed the reason for the way his friend's lips turned down. 

"But not you."

"I never worry."

Obi-Wan merely hummed as he tightened his hold on Quinlan's neck and only stopped when his friend gasped for air, hitting him on the shoulder. "I'll tell you all later. You can't tell a soul," he squeezed one last time before letting go of the troublesome Jedi. Quinlan took the chance at freedom and promptly pulled Obi-Wan into a headlock. Okay, that was fair. He didn't struggle, just let out the long suffering sigh that was reserved for his friend. He wasn't that surprised when Quinlan kept an arm slung across his shoulders as they both finally decided to head into the Temple. He was lost in his thoughts trying to decide how much he was going to tell his friends so it wasn't exactly hard for Quinlan to steer him about. It wasn't that he thought they'd tell anyone else, but it was more he wanted more information before he started telling his tale. The way the other Jedi clung to him like an invasive plant meant he wasn't going to be able to go to the Archives and search for what information there was on soulmates. It seemed he was just going to have to settle on being lost in his thoughts for the time being. He let Quinlan direct their path and was hardly surprised to find himself back in the dorms. 

They spent the afternoon sprawled out on the floor next to each other. Sides pressed together and he wasn't sure if that was for his comfort or not. They hadn't spent this much time together since well before Pijal and he guessed that the other had missed him. There hadn't been a real moment of silence all afternoon. Quinlan was constantly telling some story or another while Obi-Wan made sounds of agreement as he scrolled through a datapad. He didn't dare go to the Archives now, but it didn't hurt to search the holonet. The problem he was having was that there didn't seem to be any solid answers, merely lots of rumors and speculation. Nothing mentioned a bond. 

"Why did the Mandalorians take an interest," Quinlan questioned in a tone that clearly sounded like he had asked before. Ah, he wasn't doing a good enough job of paying half attention it appeared. He pursed his lips faintly as he laid the datapad facedown on his chest. How was he supposed to answer that? It was actually remarkable that Quinlan didn't keep badgering him as he tried to sort his thoughts out.

"What...do you know of soulmates?"

Quinlan moved fast, fast enough that Obi-Wan couldn't hide the surprised look on his face when their faces were dangerously close. One of Quinlan's hands was next to his head, bracing him as he hovered over him. He was searching for some sort of answer and seemed to find it when suddenly laughter escaped him. Great, he was literally being laughed at to his face. "You- just wait until everyone hears!" 

No! Obi-Wan reacted before he could think and was just as surprised when his hand covered his friend's mouth. Quinlan's eyes went wide and then seemed to dance with mischief, leave it to him to find this situation funny. "You can't tell anyone, not yet. Please. I am trying… I need more information. Qui-Gon doesn't even know yet." The gravity of the moment on his part was ruined when he found himself making a disgusted noise. "What is wrong with you," he cried as he removed his hand so he could wipe the now moist palm against Quinlan's tunic. "Who licks someone else's hand? Especially when matters are quite serious."

"Your soulmate probably would," Quinlan said while wiggling his eyebrows. Obi-Wan wanted to be insulted, really, but he found himself laughing. "But seriously, Obes, I won't tell a soul. We will figure this out. Sithspit, I don't think any at the Temple has had a soulmate in…" A frown appeared on his face as he seemed to actually think about the fact a Jedi had a soulmate. Obi-Wan could see the moment Quinlan came to the same conclusion as him- a Jedi with a soulmate was going to be trouble. "Oh. Oh… this is amazing. You've outdone yourself and only I know!" Or Quinlan had missed the point entirely, as usual. Oddly it was Quinlan who convinced him later not to tell anyone else, at least not yet. That evening turned into several evenings of not saying a word and then finally it turned into weeks. Life didn't just go back to the way it was, not that he thought it would. Life did, however, just keep going in a confusing manner.

Weeks of no punishment and no Council meeting. Weeks of Quinlan peppering him with questions. Obi-Wan was beginning to feel like he had made it all up and his friend was just humoring him while he descended further into the fabricated world he had crafted. The bond in his head seemed to flare to life during those moments and he was left scrambling to reinforce the shields so he didn't bleed anything out into the Force for others to pick up. Qui-Gon never said a word, instead merely carrying on as if Zeffo was some distant memory. Not a word about how he had lost his lightsaber was mentioned when he had to start the process of crafting another one. Even with all the fake normality, Obi-Wan couldn't help both understanding and being a little hurt when his Master took a mission off world and left him behind. It seemed, _finally_ , some punishment was being dealt out. It was hardly surprising if he thought about it, but that didn't lessen the blow. Qui-Gon couldn't trust him to keep a rational head while on a mission. That had to be the reason he was left behind. He did his best to continue on like his thoughts weren't an ever churning storm. He could face each day, he _had_ to face each day. He wasn't thirteen anymore and he had more control over his emotions. 

Only one major change happened to his routine- the bag was now an ever present addition to his daily person. There was barely any candy left inside the fabric container, a shame really since Obi-Wan enjoyed the flavor, but the bag was honestly more than a housing for candy. A communicator lived inside the bag. He had powered the device down during the journey back to Coruscant all those weeks ago and had even meant to throw it away, but he always found himself just tucking it away in the bag before he could complete the act. Master Qui-Gon never remarked on the small bag before he left, most likely thanks to his robes hiding it, and he made no effort to volunteer the existence of it to the world. There were some nights when he couldn't sleep that he just sat holding the bag as he tried to discern answers. The biggest question that seemed to loom over him was one he didn't comprehend. Why should he miss Jango when he didn't even know him? Obi-Wan was once again sitting on his bed, staring at the bag, when an idea struck him. Maybe there was something on Mandalorians in the Archives! The hunt for substantial soulmate information was ever fruitless so it was clearly time to change tactics. Attempting to chat about the warriors with any of the Masters was a quick way to end a conversation before it began. He wanted answers, not a debate. He slid the bag back into his belt and wasn't the least bit surprised to see Quinlan watching him from the doorway. 

"Want to sneak into the Archives with me?"

His friend blanched before letting out a dramatic sigh. "There are more thrilling ways to get in trouble here, Obes." 

Obi-Wan shrugged. "Join me or don't," he said serenely as he jumped off his bed so he could begin yanking his boots back on. He knew Quinlan would go with him and he also knew Quinlan was going to complain the entire time. Such was his life. Despite the complaining, his friend was just as invested in finding answers. What little snippets they had actually come across on soulmates had not exactly given Obi-Wan hope since they often involved Falling. That was something he was terrified of doing. He had sworn once he would never Fall and he had meant that oath. Surely he wasn't destined to veer off the path of Light just because he dreamt of Jango every night? The same dream, the same memory, over and over. _His life._

Across the galaxy, Jango sat at his buir's feet as he did his best not to glare at the Mando giving a report. He had tuned the words out a while ago and was listening to Dez over his helmet as she waxed lyrical about running into some jetii. His irritation was growing with each word. They hadn't found his soulmate, but his friends had managed to disrupt several jetii while they were out in the galaxy interfering with things. The only sign he got that Jaster knew he wasn't paying attention was the nudge of a boot against his back. He sat up a little straighter but didn't silence Dez. 

"They are getting testy," her voice said in his ear. "They don't like us asking questions. I think we need a new plan. I still think just going to Coruscant is going to be the fast-" 

"No. We aren't going to go knock on the door, stop suggesting it," he finally interrupted softly with a bite of anger. "Zhiaa can go...and see if she can give Dex a favor as payment for information. He might know something." Jango wanted to go to Coruscant, he wanted to bang on the Temple door and demand his soulmate, but Jaster had already stopped him several times. He was grounded until he could supposedly keep a cool head. Somehow his buir had decided that meant two more weeks of not leaving his side. Jango didn't quite understand the math, but he wasn't going to argue...much. That was why he was stuck in these meetings, sitting on the steps to his buir's chair. He didn't care about the meetings. No, he cared that his comm never lit up. The blasted thing was silent as space. He had tried to contact his soulmate and had failed over and over. He knew he wasn't dead, the bond was still there. Sometimes the bond seemed almost absent and the second he felt it grow stronger he tried to send as much emotion as he could, which always seemed to end with a mental door being slammed shut. His soulmate, it seemed, was stubborn. His soulmate was also ignoring his calls. Jango approved and hated it at the same time.

"I want a name."

There was silence over the helmet before Dez burst out laughing. She managed to get herself under control before humming she would make sure they got a name. 

"Zhiaa will burn Coruscant down to get you the name of my new favorite person." Jango snorted and must have given some sign he was having a conversation over his helmet because Jaster kicked him a little harder in the side.

"I've got to go. Buir is trying to break my ribs because I'm ignoring whatever this di'kut is saying." 

"Understood. Try not to sleep hugging that hat again!" The channel went dead and Jango started to plot how to murder his friend. He should have left that hat on the landing pad that day. The hat in question was on his ship and an endless source of teasing from his friends. A moment of weakness had made him pick it up, a moment he wasn't looking to repeat again. All he had of his soulmate was a jetii'kad and that hat. He had hunted down bounties with less and he fully planned on having the red haired annoyance at his side sooner rather than later. The two items would help him, somehow. Things would also go a lot faster when he wasn't stuck playing shadow to Jaster. Two more weeks of being grounded, two more weeks and then he could _hunt._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 💜 thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Also, thanks for sticking with the story this long.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Is now really the time for this conversation? Not that I mind the help," the Togruta said calmly as they deflected a blaster bolt easily. "Though I am a tad confused as to why you are helping me."
> 
> Dez grinned wickedly as she used the butt of her blaster to brain a pirate that got too close. "As I said- feral loth-cat. We want them back. All we know is that they are a padawan-"
> 
> The jetii flashed her a concerned look before spinning the hilt of their jetii'kad with ease. The blade ended up through the chest of a pirate behind them and Dez couldn't help the whistle of appreciation that left her. "Exchange vows with me," she joked gleefully. Jaster hadn't been joking when he said to be careful of the meddlesome warriors. The jetii claimed they were peaceful, but so far Dez just thought they would be a challenge to spar against. Peaceful her shebs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy what I call another filler chapter! Enjoy Jango's friends harassing Jedi!!!  
> I was attempting to work on a different chapter, but this got stuck in my head, the only way to get it out was to write it up. Now I can finally go back to what I was planning! 
> 
> So, yeah, hope you like it.

Jehavey'ir [jeh-HAHR-vay`eer]  
_ambush_

\---

Heddurk counted the seconds, keeping a beat in his head, and waited. If he jumped too soon then the jetii would be on the defensive, but if he jumped too late then Jango would be annoyed because the jetii would get away unquestioned. It was a delicate balance really. He tapped the numbers off on his thigh and then sprang when he reached the right one. The Kel Dor didn't seem to radiate surprise and it was hard to tell behind the machinery on the jetii's face. Heddurk was going to have to look into that later. How did it work? Could he recreate it? He realized he was staring and the jetii was staring. 

"I have a question," he blurted out and could mentally hear Dez laughing at his lack of tact. This was why Heddurk preferred to hunt with his friends. He lacked the social graces needed to interrogate anyone, but he could make up for that with his slicing skills. Unfortunately, Myles was on the other side of the settlement, looking at weapons, and Heddurk coming across a jetii had been a pure accident.

"Do you? And what would that be," the somewhat modulated voice of the jetii gave him pause because there was no judgment or annoyance that he normally felt from strangers at his blunt awkwardness.

"Do you know a…jet'ika?" No reply, just a faint head tilt. "...padawan?"

The jetii crossed his arms over his chest and seemed to give Heddurk a once over before answering. "I know many padawans."

"Red tinged hair? Fights like a feral loth-cat?" That last description he had picked up from Jango. It seemed his leader could get quite creative when ranting about the soulmate that had slipped away. They had all listened to him rant a few days after Zeffo when still no call came. The feral loth-cat remark had stuck with everyone much to Jango’s displeasure.

Something in the jetii seemed to shift, but Heddurk wasn't sure what. "I cannot say I do." 

Where was Myles?

Heddurk held a hand up, showing the height of the one he was looking for. "This tall. Travels with a hermit." 

The jetii actually laughed and shook his head. The comm in his helmet buzzed to life and Myles' voice broke his mild confusion. "Where are you?" He reached up to swap to the private channel so he could talk to his comrade without being overheard. The laughing Kel Dor was still chuckling to himself and it was kind of distracting. "I'm talking to a jetii-"

" _Alone?_ Jango will kill me if you get killed! I'm on my way-"

"...he is gone?" The laughter had just stopped and he was alone. 

"What?"

"I looked away for a second and he is just gone...Jango is going to have my head." 

Heddurk was completely baffled by the fact the jetii had proven that they were an actual space wizard. Only sorcery could explain how they just up and vanished! "I'm still on my way, vod. We will figure this out together."

Days later, on a different planet, another of their group had found their own target to interrogate. 

A whoop of excitement escaped Dez as she landed in the middle of a bunch of pirates, right next to a jetii. Blasters flew into her hands as she proceeded to aid the grossly outnumbered jetii. 

"I'm looking for a feral loth-cat," she said cheerfully and earned a confused look from the Togruta. A faint incline of the head was all she needed as a warning before she ducked. The laser sword cut through the air where she had been and the sound of strangled pain filled her ears. 

"As I was saying. Barely an adult," she fired over the jetii's shoulder and grinned underneath her helmet as the pirate went down. "Red hair." She spun to the side and kicked out hard. Boot connected with a stomach and said pirate had the nerve to throw up on her leg. Gross. She'd have to spend hours cleaning her boot now! 

"Is now really the time for this conversation? Not that I mind the help," the Togruta said calmly as they deflected a blaster bolt easily. "Though I am a tad confused as to why you are helping me."

Dez grinned wickedly as she used the butt of her blaster to brain a pirate that got too close. "As I said- feral loth-cat. We want them back. All we know is that they are a padawan-"

The jetii flashed her a concerned look before spinning the hilt of their jetii'kad with ease. The blade ended up through the chest of a pirate behind them and Dez couldn't help the whistle of appreciation that left her. "Exchange vows with me," she joked gleefully. Jaster hadn't been joking when he said to be careful of the meddlesome warriors. The jetii claimed they were peaceful, but so far Dez just thought they would be a challenge to spar against. Peaceful her shebs.

"Jedi have no attachments," came the clipped reply. Oh, Jango was going to be annoyed at the bit information! The rumors about the jetii were true it seemed. Dez shot the last pirate between the eyes and inclined her head towards the jetii. 

"That sounds boring. So tell me, space wizard, what happens when one of you gets a soulmate?" Dez spun her blasters around her fingers before finally holstering them. Her stance didn't relax as the jetii turned off the jetii'kad. They were fast and a new battle could break out at any moment. The Togruta finally placed their hands on their hips as they gave a shake of the head. A universal no. 

"The Jedi only have the Order and the Force."

Yeah, Jango was really going to be annoyed later. 

"But do you know the padawan I speak of? He was with some hermit."

The jetii gave a loud sigh, the type of sigh Zhiaa normally released when Dez had managed to be just a little too annoying. Great, she was getting somewhere! She let out a startled yelp as she suddenly found herself skidding backward as a cargo container slammed into her armored chest. The jetii took that chance to retreat and Dez swore loudly at this sudden turn of events.

"I WASN'T DONE ASKING QUESTIONS, SPACE WIZARD!"

A week later and Heddurk was dismantling a droid and leaving parts all over the floor again. Myles made a face as he nearly tripped on a gear or something. He settled on just kicking the mechanical annoyance towards the other Mando. It pinged off of Heddurk's knee and the younger boy didn't even look up from what he was doing. He was going to be cleaning the floor of his ship for weeks at this rate. 

"Thank you, I needed that," came the dry voice that Myles associated with the other joking. 

"Just try not to lose anything again. We are heading back to Jango so we can report what little information we have." He watched Heddurk's hands freeze for a moment before he was back to tinkering. "Dez reports Zhiaa is heading to Coruscant to at least get a name. We get the name and you can show off." Silver eyes glanced up at him as they narrowed in thought. "I'm sure hacking the Temple won't be a challenge for you."

A faint sound of agreement left the other before they looked down at the droid they were upgrading. "Get me a name and I'll get you everything the jetii have on him. I still fail to see why he doesn't just call Jango."

"He is most likely stubborn," Myles shrugged as he moved to the small kitchenette. He yanked open a cabinet and gave the food inside a blank look. "...why is all my candy gone?"

Heddurk snorted hard before laughing, the musical sound filling the ship, and Myles somehow knew that Jango and Heddurk had stolen the candy again. He had once caught the two using the small confections as ammo for slingshots. The two had been firing at each other, trying to land the candy in the other's mouth. They had both sported small bruises for days after that and Myles had been left wondering why everyone, but Zhiaa, insisted on acting like ade when they weren't hunting. 

Dez had spoken with Jango days earlier and that meant new orders issued. That was how one of the Mandos found their way to yet another planet. Coruscant was a pretty package on the surface, but Zhiaa couldn't help thinking that once the bow was ripped away that a rotting carcass would be exposed. If she had her way she wouldn't be on this planet. Jango wanted a name and a name she would acquire, even if she had to deal with a planet that needed a few extremely well placed fires. She adjusted her belt as she listened to Dez recount how she had caused a jetii to trip and actually fall into a swamp over the comm. Her lips quirked with an almost smile as she made sure she was aware of everyone around her while still listening to the story. So far no one was attempting to tangle with her, a shame really, she wouldn't mind a good spar. Wait, no, she was doing a favor for Jango. 

"Out of the way," she let her voice sound outside the helmet, enjoying how tinny it sounded thanks to the modulator. A sleemo gave her a side-eye and then did a double-take. They moved quickly out of her way without a word. No fight there. Coward. 

"Dez," she interrupted the other finally. "I'm heading into Dex's. You are distracting me."

"You are no fun, cyare," Dez whined slightly before laughing. "Comm me when you learn anything?" They had been separated for weeks, traveling to different areas of the galaxy, chasing after mere rumors a jetii might turn up. They had come up empty-handed over and over, but she couldn't help wondering how much of their questioning was making it back to all the jetiise. 

Zhiaa hummed faintly to let Dez know she would call and then she turned the channel off. Dex was going to be one tricky customer, but she was determined to get a name. Jango was sick of waiting and he had finally called on her skills of negotiation. She pushed the door to the diner open and debated faintly about shooting the bell that announced her entrance. Her eyebrows climbed her forehead as she saw the Besalisk she was looking for was already out sitting with two customers. Her gaze went over the back of a head full of dark braids and slid right to the wide eyes of the padawan that had evaded them all for weeks. 

She couldn't be this lucky, could she?

Zhiaa squared her shoulders before walking calmly over towards the booth. The companion of Jango's soulmate turned and gave her a wary look. She snorted faintly and didn't say a word as she slid into the bench next to him. Everyone at the booth, including Dex, tensed up.

"Jango," she said in a flat tone, "is waiting on your call."

"He can continue waiting," the young jetii drawled out before popping a fried tuber in his mouth. Zhiaa liked him even more in that moment. The person sitting next to her snickered behind a hand while Dex seemed to frown.

"You know the rules," he slapped the table with a large hand, causing the dishes to jump. She noted both of the jetii grabbed their drinks before they could topple over. Fast reflexes, good in a firefight or duel.

"Peace, Dex. Jango sent me on business," she pointed straight at the one who had run from them on Zeffo. "He wants a name, but he'd prefer it if that one came home with me. Back to his side."

The Kiffar next to her lost all cool and openly howled with laughter at this point. That was a confusing reaction and it reminded her of Dez. Inappropriate reactions during serious moments. 

"He can't have everything he wants," came the calm voice of the red-haired boy. 

Dex glanced between her and Jango's soulmate before he too was laughing. He slapped his young friend on the back, causing the boy to choke on a bite of nerfburger, and used one of his other hands to wag a finger at Zhiaa. "Tell Jango he is going about this all wrong, if he wants my young friend to do anything then he needs to show up himself."

"No, he doesn't," like a true feral loth-cat the voice was challenging. "Things are perfectly fine as they are."

"Oh, no, yes he does. This is great," the Kiffar interjected. 

"The Mand'alor has spoken and Jango cannot leave his side quite yet, not until business between the clans is finished," Zhiaa kept her tone even before finally reaching up to remove her helmet. Her pitch-black hair was braided tightly around her head like a crown and she could feel everyone staring at her as she set the buy'ce on the table. She rested an arm on top of it as she fixed Dex with a look. "As I said, peace. A name in exchange for a favor from the future Mand'alor." 

The silence was heavy and she waited patiently. Zhiaa had all the patience in the group for Mandalorians that hunted with Jango and she was willing to test how long she could last out.

"Now, that is a payment," Dex stroked his jaw thoughtfully as he considered the exchange offered. He slid out of the booth so he could pace while he thought; Zhiaa could appreciate that. There was clearly a matter of loyalty here. What she did not appreciate was the sudden plate of food that came sailing at her or the body slamming into her side. Fried tubers hitting her face had her closing her eyes as she stumbled out of the booth. They had timed it so she would be distracted enough that she couldn’t dodge. Her opinion of both of them spiked, as did her annoyance.

"Sorry, Dex, put it on my tab," the red-haired terror called as he jumped over her, followed by his friend. The two had seen an opening and taken it to escape. She couldn't be angry at that, but she was still annoyed. Jango was not going to be amused when he heard what had happened. She twisted a little to the side so she could watch them run out of the diner while she brushed a fried tuber off her head. She had the belated thought that she should have just stunned everyone and stolen Jango's person. 

"Now, friend, what type of favor are we talking about?"

She glanced up at Dex with narrowed eyes. Had he left the opening for them to escape? "Jango said anything. He wants to know his soulmate's name."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (*ﾟ∀ﾟ*) Hope you enjoyed a chapter that kind of looked at how Jango's friends act without Jango around. 
> 
> Now excuse me while I go back to playing KOTOR and reading some books...for research...
> 
> (Also, p.s., I love you all. The comments, the asks, all of it. （πーπ）makes me so happy.)


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "He wants a delicious meal," Quinlan answered before Obi-Wan could as he threw an arm around his shoulder. Dex's eyes widened a fraction before he narrowed them, studying the situation. Some sort of conclusion was being drawn. Oh, that couldn't be good.
> 
> "...you two?" He held up a hand to motion to them both as if they were one unit. Oh, oh, this was worse than he thought. Quinlan, of course, burst out laughing.
> 
> "No," Obi-Wan brought a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose as he resisted the urge to elbow his friend hard in the side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess what guys? I am still giving you cliffhangers!!! Another mobile update cause I was fine tuning while drinking coffee. What is work? Mondays I do payroll so I can get away with goofing off more >.>

Usen’ye! [oo-SEN-yeh]  
_Go away! (Very rude - from the same root as osik)_

\---

Bracing himself for what to come was pointless because he knew the second they stepped into the diner he was going to have a cracked back. Dex was a strong hugger, that was probably the most polite way to refer to the ironclad grip his friend had. He gave a faint sigh as the bell let out a chime to announce their entry into the diner. Things, it seemed, were destined to play out how he thought they would. He was only a few steps in when the booming voice of the owner echoed through the space. "Little Kenobi," and then came the hug that lifted him straight off the ground. Quinlan looked bored as he waited for bone popping hug to end and Obi-Wan just let himself feel comforted by the moment. Once his feet touched the ground he clapped Dex on a shoulder with a smile. Some things never changed.

"What brings my favorite little Jedi and his...friend in today?" He knew his complexion was betraying him as he felt his cheeks heat up with embarrassment. Quinlan's snort only confirmed the blush was obvious. 

"He wants a delicious meal," Quinlan answered before Obi-Wan could as he threw an arm around his shoulder. Dex's eyes widened a fraction before he narrowed them, studying the situation. Some sort of conclusion was being drawn. Oh, that couldn't be good.

"...you two?" He held up a hand to motion to them both as if they were one unit. Oh, oh, this was worse than he thought. Quinlan, of course, burst out laughing.

"No," Obi-Wan brought a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose as he resisted the urge to elbow his friend hard in the side. "We are thankfully not. My… other half is Force knows where at the moment." That was as much as he was willing to give in regards to having a soulmate. Dex stood there a moment before ushering the both of them towards a booth near the rear of the diner. That was perfectly fine with him, that meant things were going to go a little more normal. 

Soon enough Dex and Quinlan were gossiping and spinning some tall tales at his expense, but he was honestly content to ignore them while he savored the flavor of the fried tubers. The dipping sauce was zesty with just a hint of spice, while also amazingly creamy. The texture worked with the crisp bite of the tubers. Dex was a culinary genius, really that was all there was to say about the matter. Obi-Wan dragged one tuber through the dipping sauce and found himself pausing as he felt a presence enter the diner. He had felt this before…on Zeffo. His eyes moved from his plate to the door as it opened. He could only watch as a Mandalorian stepped into the diner. A faint wave of disappointment washed over him as he realized it wasn't Jango, but one of the others that had hunted him. Not that he actually wanted Jango to walk through the door- like at all or at least that was what he was telling himself. "Kriff," he muttered. Quinlan blinked before turning to look for the source of Obi-Wan's sudden swear. He could see the moment his friend found the situation amazing, a tick of his jaw that threatened obnoxious laughter. Everyone at the booth seemed to be caught off guard when the Mandalorian actually sat down next to Quinlan. They were both effectively blocked in now, a person on one side and a wall on the other. 

He narrowed his eyes before taking a bite of the fried tuber in his fingers. He wasn't going to waste his meal just because something unpleasant was about to happen. The food was delicious. "Jango is waiting on your call." He had to fight the feeling of being pleased with the idea of Jango waiting and decided to focus on his annoyance for the moment. 

"He can continue to wait," he did his best to keep his voice calm. Obi-Wan popped the rest of the fried tuber in his mouth and avoided Quinlan's questioning look. He was going to have to admit he had a way to contact his soulmate now and he just knew that his friend would call Jango for him. Maybe it was finally time to throw the device away? That thought made him feel unsettled and he wasn't sure why. He didn't actually have time to dwell on that because suddenly Dex was slapping the table while talking to the Mandalorian as if they knew each other. His hand shot out and he caught his drink before it could topple over, he noted Quinlan had done the same as well. 

"Peace," the newest addition to the booth was saying and Obi-Wan listened as he picked up the last half of his nerfburger. He blanched when he heard that Jango wanted him to come home. What an interesting way to phrase that since the Temple was very much his home, not wherever Jango was. Quinlan had abandoned all calm and burst out laughing. Typical.

"He can't have everything he wants," he managed to say calmly before taking a large bite of his nerfburger. A mistake he soon learned as Dex reacted to the conversation. He couldn’t help wincing as his friend decided his back needed a new bruise with a well placed slap. Obi-Wan had to force himself to swallow the bite of food before he coughed it out thanks to the hit. He shot a glare at the cook as he spoke. "Tell Jango he is going about this all wrong, if he wants my young friend to do anything then he needs to show up himself."

"No, he doesn't," he bit out with a little more challenge in his tone than planned. If Jango showed up- no, he wasn't going to go down that path of thinking.

"Oh, no, yes he does. This is great," Quinlan said with far too much glee. He had to remind himself revenge was not the Jedi way, but he somehow couldn't stop himself from kicking at the other under the table. His foot connected with shin and he only earned himself a smile. He shot Quinlan a dirty look as he continued to listen to the conversation play out next to him. Future Mand'alor? Both he and Quinlan looked at each other with wide eyes. Oh, this was far worse than he thought! He continued to eat slowly as he waited for the right moment to escape. He was certain Dex wouldn't sell him out, maybe, but he did note his friend gave him the perfect opening. A few seconds passed while he waited for the Mandalorian to look at Dex. 

He flipped his plate up and gave it a push with the Force while at the same time Quinlan decided to slam into her side. Honestly, it was a sloppy plan, one he was ashamed of, but it got the job done. Surprise, as Qui-Gon often pointed out, was a great ally. He moved, basically jumping over the table, kicking his drink over in the process, and let his momentum take him over the Mandalorian. He knew Quinlan was following as he yelled his apology out to Dex. It would probably be wise to wait a bit before going back to the diner, at least long enough for his culinary friend to forget the wasted food. 

The stale air of Coruscant slapped him in the face and he didn't have time to react before Quinlan was taking charge. The other boy took off running in the direction of the Temple, snagging Obi-Wan's sleeve in the process to get him running. Where one bounty hunter was there was bound to be more. Memories of Zeffo flashed through his mind and he suddenly wished Qui-Gon was back from his mission. What if he was being hunted on some other planet? He was going to have to call his Master later and tell him everything. That was something he was not looking forward to at all.

"Obes," the voice cut into his thoughts and he gave a jerky nod of his head to indicate he saw the hand single. Going to the right it was. His heart was hammering in his chest as they cut down an alley. Their footfall was oddly silent considering how hard they were running. That encounter had been far too close for his liking. They knew he was on Coruscant and soon they would have a name if Dex accepted the offer. A faint sound escaped him when Quinlan suddenly grabbed his arm so he could yank him into a doorway. Obi-Wan's back collided with a door and he stared at his friend with wide eyes. Quinlan held a finger to his lips and cast a look slightly over his shoulder. 

Someone was definitely following them.

They were going to get caught. They were so going to get caught. Dex had given them that opening back at the diner and now they were just floundering. He reached for the Force and it slipped just outside his reach. There was no way he could calm himself while visions of Mandalorians chasing him filled his mind. His friend seemed to sense something because suddenly they were running again.

"Master Windu," Quinlan waved an arm to grab the attention of the Jedi strolling along as if nothing exciting was happening. Obi-Wan's stomach suddenly felt off. Whatever Quinlan was planning was going to be bad, he just had a feeling. He yelped as his friend decided to stop suddenly and twist as he grabbed Obi-Wan's arm. He felt himself be thrown forward towards the Council member with the aid of the Force. Mace had a minor look of confusion on his face before opening his arms wide. 

"Oh no," he managed to get out before he pretty much crashed into the Master. The other’s arms caught him easily enough, but this was not his most graceful moment and the old childhood nickname of Oafy-Wan flashed through his mind. Quinlan was already moving, using the Force to barricade the entrance of the street with various loose objects.

"Padawan," Master Windu said in an unamused voice as he looked down at the cause of his latest headache. "I hope you have a good reason as to why Padawan Vos just threw you at me in the middle of a street.”

He stared up at the judgment written on Mace's face and made a single decision. The truth would be wise at this moment so he opened his mouth and uttered one single word. "Mandalorians." There wasn't even a flicker of surprise on the Master's face before he was moving to drag Obi-Wan along. 

"Padawan Vos," Mace called over his shoulder before muttering something on his breath. It sounded suspiciously like pain in his shebs, but Obi-Wan was a little too distracted to appreciate such a proper Jedi swearing. He felt his eyes growing large at the sight of a speeder parked off to the side of some buildings. Wait, had Master Windu been expecting this? He looked up with the question written all over his and earned a simple headshake. Clearly, this was going to be a discussion for later. The Master let go of him and motioned for both Padawans to get in the seats of the speeder. Quinlan jumped into the back bench seat and did his best to take up the whole seat, leaving Obi-Wan with two choices. He could attempt to move Quinlan or he could just sit in the front seat next to Master Windu. He settled on throwing his friend an unimpressed look before climbing into the co-pilot seat. His backside had barely connected with the seat when the speeder lurched to life. His face paled ever so faintly as he gripped the edge of his seat. Oh sithspit, that nerfburger was going to make a reappearance at this rate. Naturally, in response, his friend let out a hysterical laugh from the backseat. 

"Master-"

"Save it for the Council."

Obi-Wan winced at the cold tone. He had been on the receiving end of that tone several times and once again it made him feel like the impulsive thirteen year old he once was. He had earned the ire of the Council many times at the beginning of his journey as a Padawan. The Force had seemed to decide it was time for him to be a headache for the elder Jedi again. "Yes, Master," he said softly as he tried not to wince when the speeder got a little too close to another speeder. The arrival of a Mandalorian had been an omen it seemed. The time for research and hiding what had actually happened on Zeffo was over. He felt a hand on his shoulder, which he knew was Quinlan, but he couldn't help missing his own Master. He needed the calm his Master often had. When the speeder finally came to an abrupt stop at the Temple he braced himself mentally. If he had just called Jango maybe this wouldn't have happened- he shoved that thought aside as he jumped out of the speeder. His feet had barely hit the ground when he found himself, along with Quinlan, hurrying after Master Windu. The older Jedi was talking quickly into a comm and he knew that it was about what had just happened. The Council had taken him back all those years ago and now they were going to kick him out because he had a soulmate. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he nearly crashed into Master Windu when the man stopped. He barely stopped in time and felt minor confusion when a hand came down on top of his head.

"Find your calm, Padawan Kenobi. I can sense your distress. Something I haven't felt this intensely since you were a youngling." Obi-Wan's cheeks flushed as he bowed his head in acknowledgment. His control of his emotions, or rather keeping them in check, had been uneasy since the second bond in his head had formed. "This is a serious matter, but I think not is all as you think." With those confusing words, Master Windu ushered both Padawans into the turbolift so they could head to the Council Chambers. Calm, he could be calm. He could practically taste the tension in the confined space as the door slid shut. Quinlan looked like he wanted to be anywhere else and Master Windu looked unamused. Though, to be fair, Obi-Wan often thought Master Windu looked unamused, so this situation wasn’t really that different. Not that he was going to tell anyone that observation anytime soon.

Obi-Wan poked at the bond with Jango in his mind and nearly took an actual step backward when a sense of excitement crashed into his mind. He felt, well- he felt more confident for some reason and he was ready to answer any questions the Council most certainly had. He blinked faintly and glanced down at his hand that Quinlan was now holding, their fingers tangled together like they used to do as younglings. Quinlan, it seemed, was going to stand by his side and take part of the blame if there was any. The comforting presence of his friend mixed with the warmth growing in his chest was actually helping him find his calm. Things would play out one way or another, he merely had to wait and see what hand the Force was dealing him this time.

Across the galaxy, Jango stood in the middle of the training yard, focused intently on his bond. His soulmate had finally opened the door of his own free will and he couldn’t help the excitement he felt. A blaster bolt sailed past his face and he didn’t even flinch. No one was going to actually hit him, at least not on purpose, and the blasters were on a low setting. If he took a face full of blaster because he was focused on his soulmate then it would merely hurt for a moment. He could hear his communicator going off and he debated just ignoring it while he tried to get something back through the bond. He couldn’t sense danger, just a sort of contentment, resigned acceptance even. The beeping just didn’t stop, making him feel more annoyed and unfocused, and he finally yanked the comm free from his belt.

“What,” he snapped before he even knew who was calling.

“...someone is a rancor ik’aad today,” Zhiaa’s voice crackled over the comm and he quickly switched it to project a holocall. Her image flickered to life in blue in front of him and he could see her very unamused face. “I saw Dex and ran into a mutual acquaintance.”

She had his full attention now and he held up a finger to ask her to wait. He turned his attention to the warriors in training and barked out an order. “Leave, now.” They all seemed to pause as they tried to figure out if he was serious. They must have seen the fire in his eyes because the training yard cleared out in minutes. Once he was alone he turned his gaze back to Zhiaa. “What do you mean mutual acquaintance?” 

She grinned like a smug viper and he just knew what she was going to say. “He is on Coruscant and he is a friend of Dex. I had to offer two favors and a promise we would all visit before he would give me anything. Oh, and he is expecting the story of how you found your soulmate, burc’ya.” His fingers tightened on the comm as he tried not to snap at her to get to the point. She was clearly enjoying messing with him by not telling him what he wanted to know. He didn’t care what she had to give as payment! He wanted a name. “I am free in a few days,” he said as a warning. If she drew this out too long then he would hunt her down and make her pay. 

“Peace,” she said before she laughed. “You two are suited for each other. Dex said all he could give me was a name. Kenobi. I tried to trail him, but a jetii interfered and whisked him away to the Temple. Do you have new orders?”

“Stay there. Watch the Temple. We will come to you,” Jango grinned like he was a loth-cat that had finally gotten the cream. 

_Kenobi._

They had a name and a location.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dunnn.  
> The plot thickens.  
> Also, I am working on replying to all your comments 💜 they encourage me to write and I just love replying. T_T all these feeeeels.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All eyes turned towards him. "I am," he said smoothly despite having tuned out Force knows how much of the conversation earlier. Wait- last documented soulmate? There had been others in the past? A bubble of frustration grew in his mind at having somehow missed that piece of information in the Archives, though, he and Quinlan had been extremely thorough in their research which could only mean that information wasn't actually in the Archives.
> 
> How odd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I present a chapter!!!
> 
> Once again, I truly love the comments and feedback. If I haven't replied back to you I swear I am working on it.

Wayii! [Why-EE or WHY-ee]  
 _Good grief! General exclamation of surprise, good or bad._

\---

Qui-Gon glanced out at the seemingly endless plains and couldn’t help the faint feeling of unease. He had spotted many Trade Federation ships on his way down to the surface, which shouldn’t have been that strange, except there wasn’t exactly anything for this planet to trade. It was a planet in the middle of nowhere with no major export. So why was the Trade Federation here? The answer may have been answered on Zeffo, but in his hurry to put space between himself and the Mandalorians he had possibly pushed that answer away. He was going to need to voice his concerns to the Council at seeing so much activity on the planet. 

His thoughts drifted to Obi-Wan and he couldn’t help feeling a faint sense of guilt. He knew his Padawan had to have questions, but they had barely spoken since he had taken the mission off world. He tapped his comm against his chin as he thought. Did he finally call young Obi-Wan out to meet him? The few Mandalorians he had seen here hadn’t even glanced his way so there was a chance they weren’t the ones looking for his unlucky student. 

His comm chirped, interrupting his thoughts, and he shifted just a little as he turned it on. “Jinn,” he answered as his way of greeting. 

“Qui-Gon,” Mace’s voice filled the space in front of him. “We have had more reports of Mandalorians interfering on missions. At this rate, they may start showing up during some of the more delicate missions. I am worried about the unseen ramifications this may have.” They weren’t giving up, no, they were increasing it seemed. “And I am sure you’ll be amused to hear that your troublesome child has a new nickname.” An eyebrow inched upward, but he refused to fall for Master Windu’s bait. He, instead, decided to focus on more important matters. 

“The reports are troubling, to be sure,” he shifted so he could rest his elbow against his side while he held the comm closer to his face. “But I hardly think we need to worry, at least not yet." Jedi being helped by Mandalorians was not the norm and hadn’t been for centuries. His thoughts tended to drift towards bounty hunters and warriors that leveled armies by using cheap tricks and cunning and not people asking questions and helping. He knew he had his own issues with the Mandalorians, ones he was still trying to come to a sort of peace with, but this latest development was leaving him unsettled. 

The unexpected had a way of causing trouble. Some of the older texts mentioned a time when Jedi were slaughtered on sight thanks to some war or other. Centuries of hostile peace talks had finally ended with the two people just leaving each other alone for the most part. The current ruler, Mand’alor, was more focused on keeping his people safe so Qui-Gon had naively thought the days of Jedi hunting were over. It seemed, however, the hunts were rising from the ashes of a long forgotten war in a strange new manner. “Has anyone spoken to Obi-Wan about what is going on? Surely he has questions,” he knew his Padawan had to be curious. 

“We have been keeping an eye on him,” Mace’s voice reassured him. “But we have yet to broach the subject with him. I hate to say it, Qui-Gon, but we aren’t exactly sure how to deal with this. If what we fear is true then we are in truly uncharted territory. We _need_ whatever holocrons or texts are left in that old enclave.” 

“And I am doing my best, I have merely hit a minor snag. Assistance would go a long way here. I fear you may need to send Obi-Wan to me. His skills, along with Quinlan’s, would go a long way here. Getting close to the ruins is proving harder than we all anticipated. The Trade Federation has a presence here and from what I can tell they are interested in the same area as I am.”

Silence met him for a moment before his friend sighed loudly over the comm. “I will talk with the Council. I would prefer to keep Obi-Wan here, but I can see how Padawan Vos’ unique gift might help you. Which means… we will have to send both boys. Qui-Gon, once he is off Coruscan- hang on. I need to call you back, something has come up.” The call disconnected before Qui-Gon could say anything in protest. Typical Mace, ending things abruptly. 

There was a great risk and letting Obi-Wan out of the sight of the Council and Temple, but things on Dantooine were complicated. 

Just what was the Trade Federation after and why did it fill him with a sense of dread? 

On Coruscant Mace had ended his call because Quinlan had yelled for his attention. The fact he was in CoCo Town was no accident. There was hardly any secret amongst the Jedi that Obi-Wan was the center of some unwanted attention so a young Knight had wasted no time informing him that he had seen two Padawans heading out of the Temple. Naturally, he had followed at a safe distance since he had felt it wise. Things moved quickly after he found himself being forced to catch young Kenobi. He wrapped his arms around the other and had a feeling he knew the answer before he even asked the question. Mandalorians had come to Coruscant. Things moved quickly after that as Mace did his best to get both of the troublemakers back to the safety of the Temple. His hands tightened on the controls of the speeder as he realized they weren't going to enjoy that safety long. He wanted to keep Obi-Wan in the depths of the Temple until everything blew over, but things were conspiring to make them play whatever messed up game of sabacc this was.

He had been wise after all to go to CoCo Town, he mused as they all rode the turbolift to the Council Chamber. If he hadn’t been there, well, there was no telling how the latest encounter with the Mandalorians would have gone. He cast a faint glance towards each of his companions, taking in the joined hands. Ah, strengthening each other. Obi-Wan’s presence had shifted, going from tumultuous to near calm and he had to admit he was both impressed and worried at that much of a change. There were times he thought perhaps he spoke a little too harshly to the boy, but then he rationalized it by making sure the other had a less roguelike guiding hand. Qui-Gon was a true maverick and the two butted heads plenty. Obi-Wan, for his credit, did seem to want to follow the Council’s wishes. Mace didn’t exactly fault him for not running to everyone with whatever was bothering him, but he still blamed him for not doing so.

This truly was uncharted territory. 

Force, if only Qui-Gon was here to deal with this whole mess.

The door slid open and Obi-Wan suddenly felt like he was about to walk to the gallows. The Jedi didn’t have such a thing, but he had seen a gallow or two in his time. He knew he wasn’t about to be sentenced to death again, but there was still this growing unease in his stomach. Quinlan squeezed his hand before untangling their fingers as Master Windu pushed the doors open to the Council Chambers. Flashes of previous trips, previous scoldings in this very room ghosted across the edge of his mind and he had to mentally bat them away. The warmth in his chest was a reminder that he could face whatever was about to happen. 

“Padawan Kenobi,” Master Yoda greeted him as he entered the room with Quinlan by his side. Master Windu was already moving past to go take his chair. “Padawan Vos. Expecting you, we were.” Obi-Wan bowed respectfully, Quinlan a second behind him in the motion. He wasn’t that surprised by the remark since Master Windu had been calling someone when they arrived at the Temple. He was, however, surprised when the next words out of Yoda’s mouth didn’t quite make sense. “Failed you, we have.” 

“Master?” He was positive he had misheard and his friend snorting softly wasn’t helping his confusion. “I am not sure I quite understand.” That was an understatement. 

Master Windu leaned forward in his seat and rested his elbows on his knees as he fixed both of them with a look. “We know.” Know? That calm and confidence he felt was quickly crumbling under his feet like stone turning to sand. “Or I should say we have made a _very_ educated guess about what actually happened on Zeffo. We...did not approach you right away because we needed more information. A sentiment I am sure you know well.” Obi-Wan flushed under that faint accusation. Yes, he had been gathering more information instead of alerting the Council to what had happened, a mistake in hindsight.

“I can explain,” he shifted so he could clasp his hands behind his back as he raised his chin to the Council members. He was ready to plead his case, explain why he had done what he had done. Soulmates were so unknown and the fact he was one with a Mandalorian surely would have cast suspicion on his resolve again. 

“No need,” Master Koon interrupted in a kind tone. “There is nothing that can undo what has been done, young one. We can only focus on what is to come now."

He was confused, beyond confused at this point. He did not need to plead his case? The Masters were just accepting what had happened? Quinlan shifted closer, reaching to snag the sleeve of his tunic, and he managed to center himself again. Confusion did not mean he had to lose his calm. He could be as a stone, smooth and still. "And what would that be?"

"Dantooine," Master Windu said calmly before the Chambers erupted into some of the calmest arguings Obi-Wan had ever experienced in his life. Half the Council wanted to keep him where they could see him and the other half wanted to send him to Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon wanted him, he hadn't left him behind as a punishment! That realization soothed something inside his soul. Their relationship, while rocky at times, was not damaged beyond repair. That was one less thing to worry about in a galaxy that had gone mad. He was trying to pay attention to the bickering, but he found himself just slipping into a meditation of sorts as he stood there. The feeling inside of his head was distracting as he let the shields around his bond stay down. This was probably the wrong time to allow himself to get used to the bond, but something was tugging at him to do so.

"Mandalorian War!" That uttered phrase yanked him free and he raised an eyebrow as he waited to hear more. "We don't know enough about that piece of our history and we have the chance to find out more! The last soulmate documented was from that time. I am sure Padawan Kenobi is just as curious as the rest of us."

All eyes turned towards him. "I am," he said smoothly despite having tuned out Force knows how much of the conversation earlier. Wait- last documented soulmate? There had been others in the past? A bubble of frustration grew in his mind at having somehow missed that piece of information in the Archives, though, he and Quinlan had been extremely thorough in their research which could only mean that information wasn't actually in the Archives.

How odd.

"Then it is decided," Master Windu said as he leaned back in his chair. "I'll take them to Dantooine." Obi-Wan blinked and did his best not to let the shock show on his face, adopting a blank expression to hide how caught off guard he was. Quinlan seemed to be vibrating with excitement next to him and he had a moment of wondering if the other could actually combust from trying to keep all that emotion inside. Master Yoda's ears dropped slightly before he spoke. "May the Force be with us all," the tone was serious and it was in that exact moment that Obi-Wan realized Dantooine was not going to be some easy trip. Things seemed to move quickly after the decision was made that they were leaving the Temple. Not a word was said as he was handed a change of clothes, which included yet another poncho and given a small amount of time to change and pack a small bag. Obi-Wan made a face after he changed into the darker clothes that clung closer to his body than his normal attire. Black utility style pants with a thick long sleeve shirt in a dusky grey. It all felt itchy. He rolled his sleeves up to just below his elbows before he pulled his poncho on. A simple knitted hat covered up his hair, hiding the sign he was from the Jedi Order, and he realized then that they must be traveling on a passenger freighter. Joy. His previous experiences with such trips had all ended a tad violently. He sighed as he hefted his bag over his shoulder and double checked his lightsaber was secured to his lower back. 

"Obes," Quinlan poked his head in the door and burst into a grin. "Ready?" They wore similar outfits, but his friend didn't need the hat. No, his braids, along with the Padawan one, were yanked back into a sort of knot at the back of his head. Obi-Wan bit his lower lip as he cast one last look around his dorm. He had this feeling that it would be a long time before he would step foot in this room again. "...ready." 

What was on Dantooine? Why did he keep getting sent to worlds he barely knew anything about? 

Why did he feel like the Force was getting ready for something big to happen?

He walked side by side with his friend towards the meeting spot with Master Windu. The older Jedi was still dressed in his robes, which earned a questioning look from Obi-Wan. Mace gave the barest of smirks before motioning for them to follow him towards the hangar. So not a passenger freight? Soon enough he was boarding the smaller ship and buckling himself into a seat as Quinlan mirrored his actions. Their bags were nestled between their feet, secured as much as they could be. Mace was the one flying the ship and he couldn't help thinking this was going to be another stomach dropping takeoff. Seconds later he was proven correct as the ship lurched into the air. His fingers wrapped around the straps holding him to the seat as he stared into the excited eyes of Quinlan.

"What's Dantooine?"

"A planet," he responded dryly and had to shift his legs quickly to avoid his friend's attempted kick. "As I was trying to say before you resorted to uncivilized violence… that is really all I know. Not exactly like the mission has been spelled out for us.”

The trip to Dantooine was tense as everyone seemed to avoid talking about the fact Obi-Wan had a soulmate and the Council had known all along. Master Windu didn’t elaborate on why they were going to Dantooine and Obi-Wan didn’t exactly feel like asking. Qui-Gon could explain when they got there. He amused himself by reading and rereading a datapad while half watching Quinlan attempt to make Master Windu lose his temper for most of the trip. The man, he thought, was an actual saint for not throwing Quinlan off the ship mid hyperflight. Arriving in the space above Dantooine didn't come fast enough for Master Windu's sanity, he thought as he moved to glance out the viewport when they finally reached the planet. His eyes narrowed slightly as he took in the sight of far too many Trade Federation ships. Their ship seemed to pick up speed as they broke into the atmosphere. “We are being followed, this is going to be a quick exit,” Mace bit out as he motioned for them to grab their bags. He ran to snag the bag from where it sat on his seat. Ah, yes, this was off to a splendid start already. Fingers snagged the straps and then he was securing it to his back, clipping the straps into place over his chest. He knew his friend was doing the same with his own pack. 

“I have a plan,” echoed through the ship from the cockpit. “I see a body of water.”

Oh, oh, this was going to be a bad plan. Quinlan was already grinning as danger sparked in his eyes. A very bad plan. 

“Master, surely you can’t mean-”

“We are so jumping!”

“I’ll fly low and you two jump. Qui-Gon is already aware you are arriving. I’ll lure whatever ship is following us away and if I can meet up with you.” This was not how he thought his arrival on Dantooine was going to go and he could already feel his nerves trying to tell him this was going to end poorly. 

“This is crazy,” he muttered as he moved to the door of the ship. Some turbulence had him shifting his feet as he braced himself by grabbing some netting near the door. “We are going to die,” his voice was extremely calm as he voiced his disapproval. Quinlan clapped him on the shoulder before reaching around him to hit the controls for the door. It roared open and Obi-Wan felt the strong pull of gravity yanking at him. “Master,” he yelled over the sound of rushing air. “Are you sure this is wis-” The word was caught up in the wind as he let out a loud swear word. Quinlan had tackled him with enough weight that they both fell out the door. 

Obi-Wan was sure of two things as he plummeted towards the body of water below. He was going to murder Quinlan later and Dantooine was going to be their graves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I was lowkey nervous about this chapter. Don't mind me.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Well, that was certainly an entrance," his Master's voice said blandly. Obi-Wan twisted in the water just as Quinlan surfaced like an injured rancor. Loud and flailing. He had to squeeze his eyes shut as he shifted away from the chaos that was the other Padawan. "Perhaps we can alert the whole planet while we are at it?" The remark was oddly kind of funny since it wasn't aimed at him for once. He shot his arm out and tangled his fist in the neck of Quinlan's poncho. Once he was positive he had a good grip he took off swimming towards the shore. Both boys scrambled out of the water when feet finally gained purchase on the bottom. He surged onto the shore, pouring water from his poncho, and he once again had to remind himself not to shove his friend back into the water.
> 
> "Master," he greeted as he began to wring said poncho out. "This was hardly my plan for once.” He paused mid wring and glanced towards the water with an annoyed look. He had lost yet another hat. Kriff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to have this up sooner and then I decided to go pretend to be human. I got a migraine that knocked me down for the count for like half the weekend. ;-; super annoying.   
> ANYWAY-  
> I hope you enjoy this chaos.

Ade [AH-day]  
 _children, sons, daughters_

\---

The impact hurt, almost as much as his jaw hitting the top of Quinlan’s head, and Obi-Wan saw stars for a moment. A faint feeling of worry shot across both bonds and he knew he had projected his pain. As he untangled himself from his friend and started swimming back towards the surface of the water he also worked at sending reassurance through the bonds. He was fine, he was annoyed, but he was fine. Fresh air slammed into his face as he broke the surface of the water and he couldn't help gasping in an attempt to get fresh air into his lungs that was not mixed with liquid. The flavor was not pleasant.

He was going to just drown Quinlan. No one would know. 

"Well, that was certainly an entrance," his Master's voice said blandly. Obi-Wan twisted in the water just as Quinlan surfaced like an injured rancor. Loud and flailing. He had to squeeze his eyes shut as he shifted away from the chaos that was the other Padawan. "Perhaps we can alert the whole planet while we are at it?" The remark was oddly kind of funny since it wasn't aimed at him for once. He shot his arm out and tangled his fist in the neck of Quinlan's poncho. Once he was positive he had a good grip he took off swimming towards the shore. Both boys scrambled out of the water when feet finally gained purchase on the bottom. He surged onto the shore, pouring water from his poncho, and he once again had to remind himself not to shove his friend back into the water.

"Master," he greeted as he began to wring said poncho out. "This was hardly my plan for once.” He paused mid wring and glanced towards the water with an annoyed look. He had lost yet another hat. Kriff. 

“Mm, I’m sure. If you two are ready I have made camp in a cave close to our goal. You can lay your things out to dry while we discuss a plan,” Qui-Gon said in a bemused tone as he reached out to push some wet hair off of Obi-Wan’s forehead. His hair had grown longer over the weeks, not long enough to be truly annoying, but it was starting to lose its normal style. He flashed his Master a faint smile before nodding he was ready to make the trip to the cave. The uncomfortable feeling of being soaked to the bone was shoved aside as the three Jedi took off, two of them with squishing boots. There would be blisters later. He was honestly relieved after what felt like hours Qui-Gon slowed his pace, he was not as relieved as he spotted large amounts of webbing as they drew closer to a cave entrance. There was no sign of spiders, which was a good thing since he already knew they had to be massive thanks to the size of the webbing. Just what place had his Master picked as a camp?

"This is creepy," muttered Quinlan next to him and he couldn't help the snort of agreement that left him. Up ahead Qui-Gon cast a look over his shoulder at them. Ah, he had heard them. The inside of the cave glowed faintly and a faint hum seemed to shoot through his body. His eyes widened as he took in the faint outcroppings of kyber. Dantooine was another source of the crystals that powered their lightsabers? That made the lack of information in the Archives even more questionable. Something had clearly happened on this planet that an older Jedi Order had tried to erase or maybe they had just forgotten. Either was possible, but Obi-Wan couldn't help feeling a faint unease at the whole thing. 

"We'll get a fire going so you can work on getting your things dry " Qui-Gon informed them as they moved deeper into the cave. "No one seems to come out here, rumors of this place being haunted by ghosts."

Quinlan paled slightly and seemed to grip the straps of his bag tighter. Obi-Wan felt for him. If anyone was going to sense things of the past it was his friend. Not a word was brought up as they finally stopped at where his Master had definitely been making camp. The crystal still seemed to sing around them, but it was duller here. Muted almost. He frowned as he removed his bag and knelt down so he could start emptying the contents near the fire ring. By the time Qui-Gon had the actual fire going both boys sat in just their utility pants, feet warming at the fire. Clothing and supplies were littered across the cave floor and he had a moment of feeling almost at ease. The song in his bones was almost enough to lull him to sleep, even if he did feel an extreme spike of annoyance through his bond to Jango. That was peculiar. What could have his soulmate so annoyed? And why did it almost feel like that annoyance was directed at him? He wanted to reach out and figure out what was wrong, but Qui-Gon was calling for his attention. 

"I'm sorry, Master, what?"

"I said it is time to come up with a plan, young one," the older Jedi sighed before picking up a chunk of dull crystal so he could start to etch a sort of map into the floor. Which Quinlan pointed out looked more like a blob than anything, something that actually had Qui-Gon looking both amused and annoyed. Obi-Wan hid a grin behind a hand as he moved closer to study the map. The defenses of the Enclave were marked out and his Master was droning on about the various shifts and such, but his eyes were drawn to the crudely drawn images of what he assumed were the few farms around. They weren't far from their target and there was a good chance the Trade Federation was trying to make their lives harder. 

"What of the people," he pointed to one of the homesteads. "Have you talked to them?"

Qui-Gon shook his head as he frowned. "The first few I attempted to make contact with were already abandoned. I don't know if they willingly moved or not, though I would hazard a guess towards the latter. There was scoring at the last one." That remark had Obi-Wan frowning. The Trade Federation had yet to resort to violence, what was going on?

"The Mandalorians you spoke of...could they be hired guns?"

"I would not be surprised."

A grim picture was being painted. He tried to pay attention to his Master, but the song of the crystals seemed to give a hiccup. He cast his gaze towards the path to the entrance and simply listened. Something soft and faint was calling out. A signature in the Force perhaps. He wanted to reach out and grab whatever it was. He needed to find the source. "What do you think?" His gaze went back to his Master and he merely nodded. That seemed to be what Qui-Gon was looking for because the man nodded in response, though he could tell he had not been subtle in his distraction since he also earned himself a look. The urge to sneak out later was strong and he let it brew inside his mind. Maybe he would if his mind still dwelled on the feeling later. "Then we will camp here tonight and head to the western side of the ruins. Head through the grove, it is less protected."

Hours later and he couldn't sleep. That interruption in the song was still plaguing him. Obi-Wan finally sat up from where he had been laying so he could crawl over to his friend. He reached out and shook Quinlan awake, quickly slapping a hand over the other's mouth before they could say anything. He pressed a finger to his own lips to let his friend know they needed to be silent. A nod of agreement was all he needed to release the other. They moved quickly, yanking on now dry boots and ponchos, over the now extremely stiff and dry shirts. It seemed taking the impromptu bath in the water had done the exact opposite of softening the material of the shirt. He honestly wanted to scratch anywhere the shirt touched, but he pushed the annoyance aside as he motioned for Quinlan to follow him. His Master was sleeping soundly, sitting up, against the wall of the cave. They'd be back, hopefully, before he woke. The two padawans moved silently through the cave and crept out into the cool night air. It was a good thing they had taken the time to dry their clothes, Obi-Wan thought, or they would have regretted this trip. He motioned to the other to follow him before he took off running. 

Something needed him. 

They ran for what felt like forever, but it was still night when they came to a stop near one of the farms. He crouched down as he tried to sense if there was any danger around the farm. A simple light near the door to the house flickered in such a way that it cast an eerie glare across anything nearby. 

“I want to go inside,” he said as he started to stand up. Quinlan grabbed his arm and yanked him back down. 

“Not that I don’t appreciate sneaking around, but what are we doing?” Obi-Wan blinked and cast a look at his friend. Could he not sense the stutter in the song? The sound he had heard from the crystals was long gone, but whatever had mixed in with them was in that building. 

“I have a feeling,” he finally settled on saying. That seemed to be good enough for the other boy because a faint nod was given before they moved silently towards the side of the building. His footfalls faltered a moment as he smelled something that irritated his nose. Ash, anger, death. He reached out to grab Quinlan’s elbow to slow the other down slightly. “Careful,” he whispered despite knowing the other already knew that. The grass closer to the building seemed scorched and crunched under his soles. Qui-Gon had mentioned scoring, but he hadn’t mentioned anything that left behind the remains of a fire. He could see Quinlan’s frown in the flickering light and he faintly wondered if they shouldn’t have gone on this little expedition. That thought seemed to summon another note in the sound he kept hearing. He frowned as well and reached out with the Force, trying to narrow down the source. He was startled to feel faint signatures of life inside the building. Younglings. 

“There, that window is damaged. I’ll climb inside and you do a sweep around the perimeter.” Obi-Wan didn’t really wait for Quinlan to answer before he was letting the Force aid him in his impulsive decision. He did, however, hear the muttering moving away from the window just as he landed silently in the room. A table was overturned, chairs broken, and what was once a warm meal was strewn across the floor. Black scoring erupted around the walls like mockeries of starbursts. He straightened as he took in the room as his stomach rocked uneasily. Whoever had lived here had been forced out in an extremely violent manner. There was a shattered mug and over there a stew was splattered across the ground. The Trade Federation had gone too far. His hands twitched with the urge to right the table and fix the chairs, but he didn’t want to let anyone know he had been there if someone decided to come back. He noticed a knapsack near the door and felt a faint pang of sadness. They hadn’t been able to take anything with them? That was beyond cruel. He knew what it was to be forced from his home with not a single item besides the clothes on his back. Though, he supposed, his situation had been very different. Thoughts for another time, he reminded himself as he began to walk as softly as he could through the room. 

It was faint, but a noise caught his attention. A sort of cough. Obi-Wan froze and let the silence fall around him as he waited for the Force to guide him. There, again! He moved quickly and knelt down next to a woven blanket on the floor. It didn’t take much to move the blanket and he honestly wasn’t that surprised to see a keypad. He rocked back on his heels as he stared at the keypad with an annoyed look. He could just use his lightsaber to destroy the lock, but that might cause issues for whatever was beneath the trap door. Did he wait for Quinlan? Did he call Qui-Gon? The feeling that had been plaguing him seemed to become desperate and he reacted. He grabbed his lightsaber and quickly changed the settings. He ignited the blue blade and made sure to be careful as he struck the lock near the edge. The red of the screen stuttered for a moment before it flickered green and then died out completely. He held his lightsaber over his head as a source of light as he used the Force to yank the door open. 

Nothing could have prepared him for what was inside that compartment. 

Obi-Wan stared down at three younglings. Two were barely four, he guessed, and the third was a mere baby. The baby was ill, he realized, that was what had been calling to him. 

“Hello there,” he said in what he hoped was a friendly voice. “Maybe I can help you?” He pushed out warmth and reassurance through the Force. His Master was not going to be pleased with what he had planned next. He stretched his free hand down and was faintly relieved when one of the younglings grabbed on so he could help yank them up out of the space. He realized, a bit belatedly, that the ones he thought were around four were twins. They had similar faces, but their hair was different. One had dark curls while the other had curls that were closer to blonde. The one with dark hair was holding the baby protectively while the paler haired one was now clinging to Obi-Wan’s side like a leech. He flicked his lightsaber off and set it down so he could reach out to pull up the last two younglings. Things were far worse than he thought if their parents had hidden them. He quickly tucked his lightsaber away as he visually checked the younglings over. They needed a bath and some food. 

“Obes,” Quinlan announced himself. “No one is outsid- what the kriff?”

“Language, not in front of the younglings,” he chided with a smirk as he tried to dislodge his young growth. The younglings were radiating unease, hunger, fear, loneliness, and another handful of other emotions. He was trying his best to be a soothing spot in their world and it must have been working since they were pressed up against him. 

“You look like a mother tooka,” Quinlan snorted with laughter as he knelt down as he held out a hand out to ruffle the hair of one of the children. Obi-Wan could only watch in pure surprise as the boy with the blonde hair actually attacked. Small teeth latched onto his friend’s hand and everyone just seemed to freeze for a moment. He managed to swallow his laughter as he quickly worked at freeing the hand. 

“He bit me,” came the scandalized cry as Quinlan cradled his injured hand to his chest. As far as he could tell there was no blood so he couldn’t quite help the unkind thought that grew in his mind that his friend was merely being dramatic.

“To be fair,” he said dryly as he avoided a tiny hand nearly hitting him in the chin. “I would have bitten you too. They are traumatized, sudden movements are not exactly wise.” The response he got was a rude hand gesture and he bit back another laugh. “Be a dear and gather up some food and such. See if we can’t find clothes for these younglings.”

“...you are taking them?”

“We can’t leave them, the youngest-”

“Boba,” came a soft voice near his side.

“Boba is sick. We need to get him back to Qui-Gon and I can hardly leave his brothers behind.” That appeared to be the right thing to say since tiny arms wrapped around his arms like vices. One side tighter than the other since one of the boys was still holding Boba. Quinlan shook his head before moving to do as Obi-Wan asked. His Master was probably going to be displeased at the newest problem, but he knew he was doing the right thing. Master Windu would surely come back and then they could find someone to take these younglings in. Though he frowned as he thought, the Trade Federation had already cleared out a few other homesteads. There was no telling where the parents were or if they were coming back. He scooped up Boba and his brother and let Quinlan grab the one that had bit him, along with a bag that was brimming with items for the boys. Obi-Wan paused at the door to snag the knapsack that had also been left behind and then they were off. The trip back to the cave had him with his heart in his throat the whole time. Getting in a fight now would be extremely unwanted since they were both weighed down. Luckily they managed to make it back to the cave without being challenged. He could already sense his Master awake as they moved further into the cave. The firelight only illuminated the displeased look on Qui-Gon’s face when he took in the sight of Obi-Wan and Quinlan with their new charges. 

“Do I want to know?”

“They called to me,” Obi-Wan said simply as he sat back down next to the fire, shifting the younglings into his lap. He let the knapsack drop to the ground as he settled in for another lecture. Qui-Gon, it seemed, was only half interested in the lecture as he set about checking each child over and making sure they were fed. Oh, he was not pleased, that was clear, but he also had a soft spot for younglings. They settled into a sort of routine while they waited to hear from Master Windu. Someone always stayed in the cave with the younglings and worked at making sure Boba’s fever didn’t grow worse. The other two younglings very seriously told Obi-Wan their names were Cody and Rex and made it quite clear that he was the someone that always had to stay behind. Qui-Gon and Quinlan often came back looking a bit disheveled and annoyed. They were running into Mandalorians that wanted a pound of flesh and increased patrols around the ruins. They needed his help, but they all knew he couldn’t offer aid while the younglings were there. Things were spiraling out of control on Dantooine, there was really no other way to describe what was going on. He knew picking up the younglings had created chaos in the plan his Master had come up with. There was also the matter of the Trade Federation and the extremely hostile Mandalorians. He tugged at his braid as he frowned, absently letting a somewhat lethargic Boba play with the fingers of his free hand. They were too young to leave alone and also too young to take into a potential battle. 

Master Windu had messaged he had finally been able to land on the other side of the planet a while ago and was going to have to find a different means of transport to get to them. Obi-Wan feared he was walking at the rate it was taking him to get to the caves. 

They needed help. 

Qui-Gon was watching him and Obi-Wan knew the decision he was about to make was going to put a rift in their relationship. He shifted just enough to grab the communicator Jango had thrown at him ages ago. His gaze was fixed solely on his Master as he powered the device up and initiated a call. “Jango,” he breathed out the second it connected. Surprise and happiness raced across the bond along with a sort of question. One he didn’t quite understand or know how to answer. “I’m done running.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!!!! I love all of you and hope you continue to love my story.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Finish eating," he finally ordered the boys around the table. "I would like one meal that doesn't end in a shouting match."
> 
> "Buir-"
> 
> "We can finish the conversation after, am I clear?" Three sets of eyes looked at him before each of them nodded in understanding. "Finally, a moment without Jango pining over the soulmate he misplaced." Poor Heddurk inhaled his drink wrong for some reason and ended up sort of spraying the table as he coughed. Jango swore, Myles began to hit Heddurk on the back to make sure all the liquid was expelled, and Jaster laughed at the chaos he had caused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surpriiiiise. Another filler chapter! I mean these aren't really filler since they do actually matter to the story. Let me have my bad anime joke.

Be'chaaj [beh-CHAAHJ]  
 _away, afar_

\---

It was exceedingly impressive how much of the younger generation Jango had managed to rope into his scheme. Jaster knew he should put an end to the shenanigans, but it was a little too amusing. He kept his face indifferent as he listened to Heddurk recount running into a jetii. The ad'ika kept getting off topic or telling a part out of order which meant he had to circle back in his story and he could see his ade's jaw flex with frustration. Jaster smirked as he raised his mug of caf to his mouth. 

He gave Jango five minutes tops before he erupted. That would make Myles yell and all semblance of a calm meal would go out the door. It was a small blessing Dez hadn't met up with them yet, Jaster mused. That was a warrior that thrived on chaos and had the gift of turning any situation into a fight.

"Finish eating," he finally ordered the boys around the table. "I would like one meal that doesn't end in a shouting match."

"Buir-"

"We can finish the conversation after, am I clear?" Three sets of eyes looked at him before each of them nodded in understanding. "Finally, a moment without Jango pining over the soulmate he misplaced." Poor Heddurk inhaled his drink wrong for some reason and ended up sort of spraying the table as he coughed. Jango swore, Myles began to hit Heddurk on the back to make sure all the liquid was expelled, and Jaster laughed at the chaos he had caused.

Taking one ship to Coruscant might have seemed unwise, but Dez and Zhiaa had their own ships. The boys could decide to travel with one of them when they all finally met up, but until then Jaster was able to keep an eye on Jango. So really, it wasn't _that_ unwise. He was able to keep an eye on some troublemakers and stop a new galactic war breaking out thanks to his ade wanting his soulmate. The boy was willing to burn the Jetii Temple down if it got him what he wanted and Jaster could only sigh at that thought. He had spent years making sure they didn't have a reason to draw their arms against jetiise. Battles with the gifted warriors tended to end in casualties on both sides. To die in battle was an honor, but to be slaughtered by a supposed peacekeeper was frustrating. He didn't need fields of dead warriors at his feet. What Jaster needed was to finally destroy Death Watch, have his other ade come home, and be left alone. Mand'alor was a heavy and twisted crown to wear, something he was trying to teach Jango. Jango was distracted, not that he could blame him. His soulmate, a jetii, was keeping just out of reach. Jango saw a challenge, Jaster saw an omen. 

The last time a jetii had been bonded to a Mandalorian, well, there had been darjetiise laying waste to the whole galaxy. The time of darjetii could very well be reappearing and that, Jaster thought as he watched the antics around the table, would mean war. War unlike any other. 

Change was coming.

When they finally landed on Coruscant Jango found himself anxious to just run straight off the ship. Each agonizing second of the ramp lowering seemed to play out in slow motion and his expression turned annoyed as he spotted Zhiaa waiting for them at the landing pad. She wasn’t watching the Temple. He shoved past Heddurk and half heard Myles snap at him to be more careful as he bolted down the ramp. He didn’t care, he just didn’t care at that moment whether or not any of them fell as he ran past. His mind was fully focused on the one person he had asked to look out for Kenobi. His hands came up to clutch Zhiaa’s shoulders as he gave her a faint shake. 

“I told you to watch the Temple,” the words ripped out of his mouth like an accusation, as if this whole situation was somehow her fault. He knew it wasn’t. He was just so annoyed. He had spent forever grounded and then had to suffer through a space journey that involved his buir siding with his friends far more than he liked. If she wasn’t watching the Temple then something had gone wrong and he didn’t want to hear that news. No, he wanted Kenobi. He was sick of waiting.

“Nice to see you too,” the modulated voice came before his friend was reaching up to remove her helmet. She made sure to smack him in the chin with it as she lifted it away from her head. Okay, that was fair. Once she was free of the bucket she rested it against her hip as she gave him a look that could make weaker men turn to ash. “He isn’t there anymore as far as I can tell.” 

_He isn’t there anymore._

Annoyance grew inside of him and he lashed out across the bond towards his soulmate. He was met with mild confusion, which only made him curse the fact the communicator had never been turned on. His soulmate had run off literally _again._ He could hear Jaster snorting behind him. “Jetiise! Always interfering,” he released his friend as he whirled around to point a finger at his buir and Mand’alor. “If you had just let me-” The sentence didn’t finish leaving his mouth because he was letting out a hiss as he got smacked softly upside the head. 

“Let Zhiaa speak before you start having a tantrum like some adiika,” his buir scolded. “Everyone,” he barked out in a voice that left no room for argument. “On the ship, now. We talk in private.” 

“Lek,” he grumbled faintly as he did his best not to stomp back up the ship ramp and prove Jaster right. He wasn’t some temperamental child, he could carry himself with dignity when he wanted. What he actually wanted to do at the moment was find Kenobi and shake him until he realized he shouldn’t run away again. Soon enough they were all seated or standing around a table. Heddurk was tinkering on some sort of datapad while Myles looked over his shoulder and Zhiaa was hovering close to Jaster, her gaze fixed on Jango. 

“We need to find out where your soulmate has gone because I am not sure I can take much more of your attitude,” Jaster said with a sort of fondness that was laced with a warning. “I don’t want to hang out on this planet longer than I have to so we scan the Temple, find a weakness, and have Heddurk slice in. If they are actually any good at planning things out then there should be some sort of document stating where Kenobi has gone.” Heddurk looked up from what he was doing and raised an eyebrow. A calculating look was already settling over his features as he tipped his head back to glance at Myles. Myles, for his part, merely leaned down so he could listen to whatever Heddurk was plotting. Jango always found it annoying when the two of them plotted like that. Why couldn’t they just voice whatever it was to the whole group instead of making him wait? He waited enough on a hunt, thank you very much, he didn’t need to wait for his friends to tell him things. 

“Alor,” Myles finally said as he looked out at the group. “We should aim for a sewer entrance. Defenses are most likely weaker there. With some rewiring we can use the droid Heddurk has been...toying with.” Jango’s sour mood was quickly shifting into a more settled one that was near hopeful. If they could crack the security of the Temple then he’d have his hands on the location of his soulmate! The sense of hope only dimmed some over the next few days as he was left pacing the ship while the others worked on modifying the droid. Jaster had already forced him to sit and read boring datapads about issues with the various clans, which oddly only seemed to keep happening whenever he got the idea of just walking straight up to the Temple and pounding on the doors. His buir knew him too well. 

It was during one of the more dry datapads that he found himself disturbed from analyzing the growing situation as Myles burst into the space. He was grinning like an idiot and Jango found himself just blinking at him in mild confusion.

“We are in,” Myles smacked him on the shoulder. “As I speak, our friend is slicing through the security system!” 

The datapad fell from his fingers as a large grin appeared on his face. They were in! _Finally._ “I want everything on Kenobi,” he ordered as he pushed away from the table. “Every file, every mention, everything.” Myles gave a nod before turning on his heel to head back to Heddurk.

“Ah, before I forget, he says you owe him one.” 

Jango snorted as he waved a hand through the air dismissively. “Of course, he knows I am good for it.” Whatever strange favor Heddurk asked, well, he would deliver. The last time he owed the younger warrior anything the request had been for a jar of colored rocks. Those rocks had shown up in random places on everyone’s’ ships for weeks. Jango actually still had a few on his ship, lined up in order of the colors he liked to the ones he disliked across a door frame. He couldn’t help wondering what colors Kenobi liked. That type of thought, along with others began to plague his mind. Did Kenobi enjoy sparring? What about favorite creature? He wanted to know everything and those files were taking forever to retrieve. The security was a tad tighter then he had hoped for and he had to begrudgingly admit that perhaps the jetiise weren’t completely di’kutla. 

Days later he sat with his feet resting on the table, chewing slowly on a piece of jerky, as he stared up at the ceiling when Heddurk walked up to him. The boy was practically radiating energy as he held a datapad out. 

“Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

Jango blinked and glanced at his friend with a raised eyebrow. He signaled for more information with a hand. Get on with it.

“He has a large file. He left the jetiise once before, vod. Which means he can probably be persuaded to leave again! I didn’t read the whole thing, but from what I skimmed it looks like he had a bit of reputation as a hothead when he was younger.” 

That was all promising, but it wasn’t what Jango wanted to hear. 

“The mission, Heddurk,” he finally spoke with faint impatience. “What about where he just went?” 

“Oh, uh,” the other shifted from foot to foot as he glanced down at the datapad he clutched. “It needs more slicing. I have the file- it is just… they encrypted it more then the others. I can do it, I just thought you’d want to know I had-”

“I did,” he quickly reassured the other. “You did good, okay? Just get to work on a location and then we can leave this corrupt planet.” Before Heddurk could sit down or leave the room the comm Jango always carried on him trilled with a warning of an incoming call. Both of their eyes went wide with surprise. Jango quickly righted himself in the chair, feet slamming against the floor with a clang, and with a slightly shaky hand he pulled the comm free of his belt pouch. He glanced at Heddurk before he hit the button to accept the call.

“Jango,” the accented voice filled the room and he swore his heart wrenched in his chest. Surprise, happiness, confusion, he let it all flow through the bond. Why now? Why was he reaching out now? “I’m done running.”

Silence seemed to stretch for a moment before he managed to convince himself this wasn’t some sort of dream. Next to him, Heddurk was shockingly still, the normal bouncing leg or tapping fingers absent in the extremely serious moment. “Kenobi,” he managed to keep his voice level. “Glad you came to your senses.”

A dry laugh came over the comm and he shifted in his seat so he could lean closer to the comm as if it would somehow get him near his soulmate. “I had things to take care of, but that doesn’t matter right now. I...need you.”

Jango’s eyes widened before he grinned like a fool. He rather liked the sound of that.

“Ah, I mean I require assistance. I’ve...gotten myself into a bit of a situation.”

 _Oh._ Jango’s grin dimmed faintly. Obi-Wan was calling him because he needed help, not because he actually wanted to talk. “What can I do for you,” he could hear the ice in his voice and he winced faintly. Embarrassment filtered across the bond and he knew he had made his soulmate regret calling. 

“Come to Dantooine, Jango. I can explain everything in person. Please. You stole my lightsaber, you _owe_ me.” He could almost taste the hurt and desperation dancing across the bond and he knew he couldn’t say no to Kenobi. His fingers tightened around the comm before he pressed the edge of it to his forehead as he tried to figure out how to answer without coming across like a complete shabuir. He did owe the near jetii for the stolen jetii’kad, which he still had. That weapon lived in a special thigh holster his buir had helped craft so he could wear the blade without losing it during a fight. 

“Jango,” he could get used to hearing his name said with that faint lilt. 

“Send me the coordinates. I will come, cyare.” That last word just sort of slipped past his lips and he could see Heddurk trying not to laugh out of the corner of his eyes. Great, now everyone was going to hear about this. 

“Thank you,” the relief was palpable and eased something in his heart. He would go help Obi-Wan and then he would convince him to come home with him. The comm went dead in his hand before a faint message beeped a moment later. The coordinates, as promised. Jango sat there, head bowed over the communicator and just waited for Heddurk to leave the room. They were going to Dantooine and he couldn’t help feeling as if things were about to change again. 

“Buir,” he finally yelled after a bit as he got up from where he sat. “We are moving out!” He knew the others were already messaging Dez about where to head and he couldn’t help feeling a faint jolt of excitement. Obi-Wan Kenobi was done running.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, you. I love you. I honestly don't expect comments and am delighted when I get them. It brings me joy to know so many people are invested in my story. So even if you aren't commenting? Thank you so very much for reading. 
> 
> Okay, feels moment over.
> 
> Also, I know I haven't responded to comments on the last chapter... I was busy writing this one.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan decided; that he was the cause of yet another issue in their relationship. He didn't know how to repair this one since willingly bringing the Mandalorians to them was a bit worse than just disobeying an order.
> 
> Impulsive. Irrational. Failing to see the big picture. He felt like he was thirteen again and trying to prove he was worthy of being Qui-Gon's Padawan and yet here he was seemingly doomed to make the same mistakes with just a new coating of paint on the outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...please enjoy a slight change of pace.

Copikla [koh-PEEK-lah]  
_charming, cute (babies and animals - never women unless you want your head ripped off)_

\---

Master Windu had arrived a few days after the fateful call and had oddly seemed to insert himself as the buffer between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. It wasn't as if his Master was outright hostile or anything, but there was a growing distance again. He wasn't sure if it was because of the fact he had taken in the younglings or because he had reached out to Jango. Though, if he was being honest, it was probably a mixture of both things. What interactions he had with his Master felt like they were merely going through some choreographed set of motions. Civil, polite, lacking emotion. The only time he really saw Qui-Gon relax was when any of the younglings tried to interact. Which meant, Obi-Wan decided; that he was the cause of yet another issue in their relationship. He didn't know how to repair this one since willingly bringing the Mandalorians to them was a bit worse than just disobeying an order.

Impulsive. Irrational. Failing to see the big picture. He felt like he was thirteen again and trying to prove he was worthy of being Qui-Gon's Padawan and yet here he was seemingly doomed to make the same mistakes with just a new coating of paint on the outside. 

Master Windu was the one who really helped him with the younglings, the one who told him to go back to sleep when Boba wailed at some abnormal hour during the night. Master Windu was also the one who shoved Master Jinn and Quinlan out of the cave to continue their mission while everyone just waited. 

Jango was coming to Dantooine.

_Jango was coming to Dantooine._

Obi-Wan was sleeping like bantha poodoo. Meditation was keeping him alert, but his nerves were starting to feel raw. There was some sort of coldness on this planet that seemed to wrap around his anxiety regarding Jango. He wanted him here and he also wanted him far away. He didn't know what he wanted.

The Force was oddly silent for once.

"Please, don't," he sighed as he snagged yet another grub like insect from Boba's grabby fingers. Babies, it seemed, were far more disastrous than he remembered. Boba liked to stick whatever he could find in his mouth and Obi-Wan had resigned himself to letting his thumb be a sacrifice if it meant the youngling in his care wasn't eating bugs. 

"It will hardly hurt him if he eats it," Mace remarked as he rubbed some dirt off of Cody's face. Cody, for his part, was trying hard not to squirm away. The boys had found a pile of dirt to play in and now were covered. They were all going to have to break into one of the abandoned farms again to use the full refresher.

"I am aware," he responded dryly. "But I am also aware you will make me clean up when he eventually gets sick again." He was shocked when the normally stoic Master actually burst out laughing. Ah, he had hit it on the nose. "Boba," he sighed as he relinquished his hand as a toy. "Where do you even find these bugs?" The only response he got was some senseless babble. As the youngling began to slobber on his fingers he glanced at Master Windu with a contemplative look. Why didn't he go on the attempts at recon with Quinlan and Qui-Gon? Part of him thought it might be a matter of Master Windu trying to keep an eye on him, which was peculiar. It was hardly like trouble was going to find him in the caves. Things seemed to settle into a sort of routine as they all awaited the arrival of his soulmate. Days were hectic and meditating was becoming rarer. He did finally manage to sneak out to get some meditation while surrounded by plants, but it was chaos that greeted him when he made it back to the caves. 

"Quinlan," the words left him as he pinched the bridge of his nose as if it would fight off the incoming headache. 

"Yes, dear?"

Oh, yes, that was certainly not helping the headache. "Why is my poncho rather modified?" He had yanked his poncho free of his bag and discovered large sections missing. Obi-Wan had wanted to pull it on to help deflect the cold bite that seemed to come with nightfall. Tonight he would have to stoke the fire well.

"Oooh. _That._ The boys wanted ponchos too," Quinlan said as he smirked. Obi-Wan had the urge to tackle his friend, but Cody suddenly latching onto his leg stopped him from moving. He did notice the rather makeshift poncho the youngling was wearing and had to bite back a sigh. Cody was adorable in the covering and it would keep his clothes clean a little longer.

"But why _my_ poncho?"

"...I knew I was less likely to die at your hand than at Master Windu's."

"My question still stands. Why not your poncho?" Quinlan blinked before spreading his hands out as he gave an exaggerated shrug. Revenge, Obi-Wan reminded himself yet again, was not the Jedi way. Besides, he had to agree that the younglings did seem to enjoy the rather poorly made ponchos. He could suffer the sacrifice of his own if it meant they were content. Those ponchos became a staple for Cody and Rex and after a few more days the matter of one destroyed poncho was forgiven. The next change the younglings brought to his routine woke him with a grunt of pain as an elbow dug hard into his side. He cracked his eyes open slightly so he could watch the troublemakers through his lashes. The image that greeted him was one of the younglings attempting to arrange themselves so they all fit on the bedroll with him. “Not that I mind the company,” he said softly so as not to wake anyone else around the smoldering fire. “But what was wrong with the area we set up for you?” Rex fixed him with a look that clearly portrayed that he thought the young Jedi was being dumb. Duly noted. He would not ask such silly questions again.

“We stick together,” Cody answered as he moved Obi-Wan’s arm so he could cradle Boba safely in the crook before curling up around both the baby and the arm. “Aliit.” That was a word he didn’t know so he merely hummed in acknowledgment as he let his eyes close again. Rex’s arm going around his neck had him flinching ever so slightly, but he shifted so he could wrap his own arm around the youngling’s waist. He’d try to get them to sleep in their pile of blankets and pilfered pillows tomorrow night. One night of them all crowded on the bedroll wouldn’t hurt anything, he thought. He should have realized that he was going to be stuck with them sprawled over him every night going forward. Oddly, Obi-Wan got some of the best rest of his life that way. The nightmares that sometimes plagued him stayed at bay as if the younglings were the gatekeepers to his dreams. The actual sleep was like a balm against his mind, lessening the cold and allowing him to just relax.

The day of change arrived and it started out like any other chaotic morning in the cave. Quinlan was prattling on about something while Qui-Gon and Mace were huddled over a makeshift model of the Enclave, an upgrade from the hastily drawn map all those weeks ago, plotting some new attempt at breaking in. The boys were eating nearby, Cody helping Boba between his own bites of cooked oats. While they did that he sat between Quinlan’s legs as he attempted to drink some extremely weak tea. The supplies they had raided from the abandoned farms were finally running out and there wasn’t exactly a major hub of commerce nearby for them to restock at, so he was stuck with reusing tea leaves. The younglings were indifferent to it and his friend just kept calling it hot leaf water so it was all Obi-Wan’s. A faint hum of agreement left him as he stared at the cup of tea cradled in his hands. Quinlan gave a sharp tug at the section of hair in his hand to let him know that he was well aware Obi-Wan was not actually paying attention. "Easy, I would rather not go bald," he informed his friend dryly. 

"Then pay attention to me," came the rebuttal as Quinlan went back to braiding the Padawan braid into the section along the side of Obi-Wan's head. The thicker braid was flat against his skull and started at his temple and was working its way to the back of his head. He needed a haircut, but he had been avoiding getting it cut again. There was something easier about just pulling all of his hair back into a nerftail. Also, tiny hands were less likely to rip at bits of his hair if it was pulled back. He hadn't the foggiest idea why Quinlan was insisting on braiding only part of his hair while leaving the other side of his head free. The feeling was strange, as strange as the lack of Padawan braid against his shoulder actually. He brought a hand up to push some hair out of his face and earned a smack. Obi-wan tipped his head back, not caring his friend let out a strangled sound of annoyance, and fixed him with a look. 

"You know, it would be infinitely easier for me to just ask Master Windu to cut my hair.”

"And ruin my work? You wound me, Obes." Quinlan flashed him a grin and made sure to knock one of his boots against Obi-Wan's hip. The tea cup jumped at the action and he found himself having to focus his attention back on the drink. That attention was short lived because suddenly he felt like his chest was going to explode. So much warmth. It raced across the bond and his soul. A hand flew up to grip at the shirt over his heart and the next second two small bodies were slamming into his side, causing Quinlan to yell out in horror as the tea cup went flying. He could only curl in on himself slightly as the younglings clung to him as he tried to recall how the act of breathing actually went. Boba managed to crawl until he was falling onto Obi-Wan’s foot. The younglings, it seemed, had sensed his not quite discomfort and had reacted. 

“Obes?” 

“Padawan?”

Obi-Wan waved a hand in the air to show he was alright as he tried to reposition himself into the way he had been sitting. The act of righting himself was a bit harder than normal thanks to his growths. “Obi,” Cody inquired as Rex just settled on elbowing him right in the side, a favorite move of his; as he tried to climb further up. “I’m fine, I’m fine, just… Jango is close.” He felt Quinlan quickly secure the braid and the other side of his hair into a short nerftail. “I wasn’t expecting to feel his arrival.” He winced as a hand hit him in the mouth and he had to quickly shift so he could hold both Rex and Cody in his lap. Cody squirmed for a moment before dragging Boba into the pile. He could feel Master Jinn and Master Windu watching him, even felt a faint wave of comfort being sent over the bond he had with his Master, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to look at them. There was a part of him that still thought he was doing something against the Jedi Order by having a soulmate. Not that he had exactly had a choice in the matter. 

“Well, you didn’t ruin my work so I guess that’s okay,” Quinlan said with some forced humor. He was clearly trying to dispel the strange atmosphere that had settled around them all. 

“Cody, dear, please tell me you didn’t still have your breakfast in your hand when you tackled me,” he drawled out as he ignored his friend. Quinlan snorted loudly before tugging faintly at the nerftail. Cody blinked and looked up at him before holding his hands up for inspection. Obi-Wan made a face, earning some giggles from the pile of younglings, and he quickly dusted the palms free of the oats. Children were walking messes. Rex raised his arms up as well and he had to repeat the action of cleaning hands. At least Boba didn’t have bug guts that needed to be cleaned off of his hands, that would have just really made the morning. 

“Come along, younglings,” Qui-Gon said as he held out his hands to them. “Let’s get you dressed for the day while Obi-Wan eats his breakfast.” 

“Lek,” came the cry as the boys scrambled off of his lap to go do as Qui-Gon asked. Once his lap was free he leaned back against Quinlan and let out a long sigh. His friend merely held a ration bar over his shoulder for him to eat. He didn’t want to eat any of the oats or dried fruit, those were for the growing younglings, so ration bars for breakfast every morning it was. Quinlan didn’t approve, but he didn’t fight Obi-Wan on the decision thankfully. The ration bars were dry, rather like sand in his mouth, and tasted of despair and nothing, but they stopped his stomach from being pained. When they were all off this planet he fully planned on going back to Dex’s diner and eating a nerfburger. Oh, and those tubers. He crinkled up the wrapper from the bar in his hand as he chewed as fast as he could to rid himself of the uncomfortable experience of eating the bar. Suddenly he glanced towards the entrance of the cave and found himself moving before his mind could catch up. His soles bit into dirt as he took off running, Quinlan letting out a surprised sound at the sudden motion. He didn’t stop running until he was free of the cave and past the spiderwebs. When he did finally stop he was in the plains and he could see the figures walking towards him, but he wasn’t worried. He felt excited actually. The Force was finally singing again in his mind. Jango had finally arrived.

The world seemed to fade away when Jango finally saw Kenobi running towards them. He shoved past Jaster and could feel his buir trying to grab his elbow, but he shook it off. Dez trilled with laughter over her helmet and Myles actually ordered everyone to calm down. Bless Myles this once. He was almost to Obi-Wan when he found himself coming to an abrupt halt as a small figure threw themselves between them. Defiant, arms spread wide, glaring up at him with the fury of a dying sun. He blinked as he glanced down at the tiny adiik with pale hair. An eyebrow inched upward as he glanced at the near jetii he had hoped to embrace. His soulmate, he realized, looked like he needed time in the sonic and he couldn’t help wondering just how long he had actually been on Dantooine. 

“Careful,” Obi-Wan said with clear affection. “He enjoys biting.” The adiik snapped his teeth together to prove the point. 

“You....have ad’ika?” 

“Lek,” the blonde boy snapped as he spun to hug Obi-Wan’s legs protectively. The laughter over the helmet was explosive now and he could hear his buir deep laugh laced in amongst the others. He was thankful everyone was making sure to keep it on the helmet channels because he wasn’t sure how his soulmate would react to being laughed at so soon after reuniting.

“I’m afraid I am not quite sure what that word means, but this is Rex. I found him and his brothers… Jango,” he pressed a hand to Rex’s back as he gave a pleading look at his soulmate. “I need your help. I couldn’t put them in danger and I certainly just couldn’t leave them.”

“I’m a ba’buir,” the Mand’alor said with amusement and something like pride over the helmets and Jango wanted to headbutt the old man. Zhiaa merely agreed softly while Heddurk remained silent, just processing the whole scene. Myles snorted but refrained from saying anything. Dez was oddly silent for once and he had the moment of wondering if she was shocked into silence. 

Jango sighed as he finally shifted to remove his helmet, cutting himself off effectively from whatever conversation was about to erupt amongst his comrades and buir. Being around Obi-Wan finally was easing the constant feeling of needing to hunt him down like prey. The obsession of sorts was settling into a sort of satisfaction. Once the helmet was removed he flashed a smile and was pleased when the fair skin of his soulmate’s cheeks turned a nice shade of red. 

“I will help. We will help,” he motioned to the Mandalorians behind him. “Whatever it is.”

Obi-Wan flashed him a brilliant smile that he felt all the way to the core of his soul and he reached out with his free hand to cup the other’s cheek. Blue eyes widened in a mixture of surprise and what Jango hoped was affection. He leaned forward and his soulmate seemed to be moving closer in response.

“Thank you,” the jetii breathed out when their faces were mere inches apart and then Rex struck. Tiny hands yanked hard at the helmet, startling Jango. He lost his grip and let out a few nasty swear words as the tiny terror ran off with the helmet. 

“Kriff, we both need to watch our language,” Obi-Wan ripped himself away from Jango as he took off at a quick pace after the youngling. “Rex, dear, you better be heading back to the cave.” He couldn’t quite hear the response that remark got, but it sounded stubborn. Jango was left standing there for a moment as he wondered just what he had gotten himself into. This time the laughter he heard was outside of the helmets, the others clearly enjoying the show. He pressed a gloved hand to his face before he started to laugh as well. 

Obi-Wan Kenobi was trouble alright, his file had not lied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am at work atm and when I get home I will add a list of the definitions of the Mandoa words I've used.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rex managed a high pitched wail as Jango moved closer. Obi-Wan quickly crouched down, using his own arm to wipe the tears away. The youngling leaned into his arm while he continued his sobs. “Shh, it’s fine, dearest. No one is mad you stole the helmet.”
> 
> “I might be,” Jango offered unhelpfully.
> 
> “As I was saying, no one who matters is mad,” he said with forced cheer and a glance over his shoulder at the Mandalorian. Jango held up his hands in a sort of surrender while sending a feeling of amusement across their bond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Work is extremely busy right now so it is sapping my energy some ;-; Our busy season got shifted thanks to 2020 and now we are scrambling to get work done. 
> 
> So thanks for putting up with me lol

Evaar'la [ee-VAR-la]  
_young, new_

“Lek,” came the possessive cry. Laughter erupted from somewhere deep inside of him and he almost missed the words from the jetii they had chased across half the galaxy for his ad. One word shot through the air and cut off any further laughter from the group. Brothers. Jaster took a moment to come to terms with the word. The jetii didn’t seem to understand Mando'a, something that could be remedied, but it was clear the pale-haired adiik was very comfortable with the language. 

There was more than one. 

“I’m a ba’buir,” he couldn’t help the amusement seeping into his voice. There was a faint feeling of shock settling into his bones. He had been expecting war, a battlefield, even betrayal from the jetiise, but he had not been expecting aliit. He crossed his arms over his chest to hide the fact he had the urge to rush forward and swoop up that defiant child. He also wanted to embrace Kenobi. There was fire in those eyes and he held himself like someone willing to stand in the middle of a storm to protect others from the same fate. Jaster already knew two things with a cold certainty. The first was that he stood in front of an orphan if the adiik was claiming Obi-Wan Kenobi as clan. The amusement was starting to fade as he let his mind wrap around the fact there was a different type of war going on here, one that was leaving adiik without their buirs. 

The second thing he was certain of was that he actually approved of Obi-Wan Kenobi. There was mandokar there, hidden amongst the teachings of the jetiise. He could see it in the way he moved to protect Rex when Rex wasn’t even in danger. Jaster raised a hand and motioned for everyone to follow after Kenobi and the daring Rex. He walked up behind his ad and slapped the boy on his pauldron. “Let’s go hunt them down before they get too far away,” he gave Jango a faint push from behind to get him walking and soon enough the Mandalorians were trailing after the jetii and his charge. 

Master Windu didn’t know what he had been expecting after the Padawan had bolted so quickly, but watching Rex rush into the cave with a Mandalorian helmet in his hands was certainly not it. Soon enough Obi-Wan appeared, walking quickly after the youngling with a bemused expression on his face. That was new. The young Padawan had seemed so troubled lately with shadows in his eyes and now he seemed calm. Mace cast a glance towards Qui-Gon and could already see the man’s shoulders tense up. That was a clear sign that this was going to be a rough meeting when the others finally arrived. Mace was positive he was going to have a mild headache by the time this was all over.

Qui-Gon shifted so he could hide his hands in the sleeves of his robes while he kept half of his attention on his Padawan. A faint smile attempted to appear while Obi-Wan was clearly bartering with Rex to get the helmet back. Personally he would have been fine with that helmet far away from him. The mere memory of it getting a little too friendly with his face made his nose throb. Mandalorians were brutes that didn't stop to even try diplomacy, something his old Master had waxed lyrical on. Dooku had come back from Galidraan sans an arm and a sort of new disdain for the galaxy. A true disaster had been averted, but the Mand'alor had taken a literal pound of flesh as payment for the near slaughter of his people. Now they were going to have to deal with these emotional warriors that danced with the Dark side. He was trying to be unbiased, to trust in the Force, but a part of him wanted to get revenge against the people that practically drove his old Master from the Order. Count Dooku called now and then, but no matter how much Qui-Gon argued, well, the man refused to return from his self inflicted banishment from the Order. His whole body seemed to tighten as the first of the Mandalorians appeared in the cave. 

The unexpected certainly had a way of giving him a headache. 

Rex managed a high pitched wail as Jango moved closer. Obi-Wan quickly crouched down, using his own arm to wipe the tears away. The youngling leaned into his arm while he continued his sobs. “Shh, it’s fine, dearest. No one is mad you stole the helmet.”

“I might be,” Jango offered unhelpfully.

“As I was saying, no one who matters is mad,” he said with forced cheer and a glance over his shoulder at the Mandalorian. Jango held up his hands in a sort of surrender while sending a feeling of amusement across their bond. The surrender seemed to appease Rex since the boy stopped his dramatic crying so he could drop the helmet on the cave floor, where it landed with a hollow clang, before hurling himself into Obi-Wan’s arms. The impact caused a faint sound of surprise to escape him as he instinctively wrapped his arms around the boy. “It’s alright.” He was completely unaware that Rex was doing his best to give Jango a smug look over his shoulder or that Jango was resisting the urge to rat the foundling out to his buir. Clearly the whole crying fit had been an act, but Jango wasn't going to reveal that information. Well, at least not yet.

Boba woke from his nap while the mixture of Jedi and Mandalorians were attempting to talk civilly. Jaster thought every plan Qui-Gon came up with was pointless, but his mood soured even further when he learned about the other faction of Mandos on the planet. That set off a different type of conversation that Obi-Wan had to step away from to grab Boba when the baby let out of the first sound of being alone. He was thankful Quinlan had intertwined his Padawan braid into his hairstyle because the first thing Boba did was try to grab for his hair. Perhaps, he mused, he would need to keep this style if it would save him from the pain of rather sharp hair tugs. As he walked back to the group, humming softly to his charge, he noticed Cody and Rex inching closer and closer to Jango. Oh, that couldn’t be good. The boys had made it rather clear they were not exactly fans of the Mandalorian he was bonded with, but he couldn’t quite figure out why. The fact they exchanged soft words in a language he didn’t understand really did not help his confusion. Cody and Rex barely knew Jango, so why were they so against him so quickly? The other Mandalorians seemed to keep an eye on the twins judging from how their helmets always tilted a faint bit towards wherever they went, but not one made a move to step in when Rex suddenly charged forward after Jango made some sort of hand motion. Laughter erupted from the armored warriors as the Jedi seemed at a loss of what to do. Master Windu reached out and put a hand on Cody’s shoulder before the boy could also join his twin in attempting to kick Jango’s shin. 

“Boys,” Obi-Wan sighed as he walked back to the group. He tried not to let his unease show as all the helmets turned towards him, as did the faces of the Jedi. Being the center of that much attention left him feeling exposed, as if they were going to see all of his doubts and fears. “Please refrain from inciting a war while we are planning what I am sure is a wonderful plan that won't go the least bit wrong.” Both Cody and Rex glanced up at him, guilt mirrored on their faces, and Obi-Wan motioned for them to go play away from the group. He could hear a few snorts of laughter and he realized the Mandalorians had all seemed to turn slightly towards him. 

Oh, dear. 

His attention was focused solely on the datapad in his hands as he reread the small entry about Dantooine. Jaster’s library on the ship was impressive, but even it hadn’t had anything solid on the planet. He chewed on the inside of his cheek as he scrolled back to the top of the entry and began to reread a third time to see if he missed anything important. Everyone else was gathered around the model of the ruins and were talking loudly. Planning, it seemed, was going about how it normally did despite the addition of the jetiise. Heddurk winced as an unpleasant feeling of being watched skated across his skin. He turned his head and nearly gave a physical jump when he saw two identical faces peering at him with intense interest. 

“Why aren’t you with the others,” he asked in a strained voice. 

“Buir said to stop trying to…” Cody frowned as he struggled with the word and glanced towards his brother Rex for the assist. “I kicked Jango,” Rex settled on saying proudly. Heddurk choked down a laugh and let the datapad he had been reading drop onto his lap. 

“Why are you over here?”

“Why are _you?_ ”

He tipped his head to the side slightly and narrowed his eyes at the twins as he wondered just where they had gotten that attitude. A faint unease seemed to settle around them as Cody gave him a look that was jarring. The look mirrored one Jango pulled all the time and it was like looking into the face of a younger version of his friend. “Osik,” he breathed out before slapping a hand over his mouth. He wasn’t supposed to swear in front of the adiik! Cody and Rex for their part just continued to stare at him as if he hadn’t just given them a shocking new weapon of a word for their arsenal. Depending on the timing he could just pass the blame of that addition off on Jango. The more he studied their faces the more he saw signs of Jango, which didn’t make sense at all. His friend was too young to be the natural buir of adiik that looked about four.

“I was reading,” he finally said. “I...it was too loud over there so I am over here.” 

The twins glanced at each other before nodding. An acceptable answer. 

“Can I ask you something? What happened to your first aliit?” 

“Buir is the only one we know,” Rex said with a faintly confused look. It was clear Heddurk had phrased his inquiry poorly. Cody was frowning and the talk around the model enclave was only getting louder, heated. Oh, he could hear Jango practically snarling from where he sat. 

“You didn’t have a buir before Kenobi?”

Something seemed to click with the twins as they inched closer to Heddurk as if they were about to share some big secret. “The doctor stole us. After Boba. We were going to be de...de...com?” 

“Decommissioned,” Cody supplied for his brother calmly. Rex silently mouthed the word several times in an attempt to keep it in his memory. “They were planning to start over. But the doctor destroyed everything. There was a lot of fire. We came here. It was supposed to be safe.”

Heddurk began to run his thumb over the top of his nails, over and over, as he digested that bit of information. Stolen. Starting over. Tiny faces of Jango. The pattern he was putting together in his head was not a good one and he needed to tell someone, anyone. No, he needed to tell the Mand’alor. He queued up a story with pictures on the datapad and handed it over to the twins and was rewarded with them simply pressing into his side, the datapad back in his lap as they both fixated on the screen. That was a rather abrupt failure of his plan to distract them so he could go pull Jaster aside. 

“Where’s Boba?”

“With buir. Asleep in his arms.” Heddurk raised an eyebrow at that. He was impressed the ik’aad could sleep through all that noise. His gaze shifted towards the group and he could spot Jango practically hovering next to Kenobi like some worried tooka. Well, one story wouldn't hurt...

They all refused to sleep back on the ships, something the older jetiise seemed uneasy with. Jango hardly cared, nor did he care when he got looks as he set up his bedroll near Obi-Wan’s. He could feel the annoyed affection across the bond and that was enough. The bald jetii had taken both the younger ones for some training while everyone was claiming where they would sleep, which meant they were stuck with the foundlings and the hermit. The tall jetii was clearly not a fan of the situation, but hadn't spoken out against everyone sleeping in the cave. He had merely gone an interesting shade of gray when Jaster had announced the news. This was an easily defendable space and the ships all had their own protections. One night here and then they'd work on convincing the jetiise it was safer back on the ships. Jango was already not looking forward to sleeping on the cave floor, but he had slept in worse places while hunting. One night wouldn't injure him. 

"Jango," Dez said in an amused tone, her voice modulated by the helmet she had yet to take off. "Zhiaa and I are going to go get some supplies from our ships. Want us to pick some flowers for you as well?" Myles burst out laughing and everyone scattered as he lunged forward. Jaster merely watched on while Qui-Gon was doing his best to ignore the Mandalorians. By the time Jango had gotten done chasing after Dez he found himself not entirely sure about what exactly he was witnessing. The twins seemed to be doing their best to fill his bedroll with various rocks and grubs. Boba was content laying on Obi-Wan's bedroll and just attempting to reach for any escaping insects. He realized he had caught them in the act and Cody merely fixed him with a look. Rex, for his part, didn't break eye contact with Jango as he opened his fist so bugs could fall free from his tiny hand. The wriggling lifeforms landed amongst the others and he got the message loud and clear.

_This was war._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am actually working on a sort of one off for the reactions of everyone about the whole zomg Obes comes with insta family. It will be just a filler chapter, but I am unsure when I will finish it. 
> 
> And as always, thank you all so much for the comments and such. I love it when people stop by and say hi. I am getting better at commenting on fics I read as well >.>


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The older boy merely smiled before giving him the universal signal for silence. Obi-Wan was just about to nod in understanding when he found their hands joined, fingers tangled, and Jango was pulling him out of the cave. He let the other lead the way, shivering faintly as the cool night air greeted him once they were out of the cave. His mind began to wander as they walked and he slowly tilted his face towards the stars. A warmth was spreading from their joined hands that soothed away all the scoring on his mind from the bombardment of heated emotions. When they finally stopped walking he noticed they could look down on the ruins, but were well outside where the patrols ventured.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \o/ a chapter~! 
> 
> This bad boy *slaps roof* is full of so many cliffhangers.

Echoy [eh-CHOY]  
_search, mourn_

\---

"Repeat what you just said," Jaster tried to keep his voice calm, but he could tell he failed from the way Heddurk shifted from foot to foot. Anxious. The ad'ika clutched his buy'ce in his arms almost like a stuffed toy and glanced down at his boots. Nervous as well then. Myles shot a glare at his Mand'alor and Jaster couldn't help shooting one back. This was hardly his fault, his brain was still trying to comprehend the statement. There was no one way he had heard what was said the first time correctly. 

"Uh, the ade… I think they are clones of Jango. They said Ob'ika was the only buir they knew and mentioned fire- I mean they mentioned being created. The fire came after when they escaped." 

He had heard correctly and now an anger began to smolder inside his chest. No one cloned his ad against his wishes and got away with it. He fully planned on hunting down and then destroying whoever had the nerve to do something like this. The other issue was the matter of how whoever had done this had actually gotten enough DNA to create a template. He'd have to talk to Jango and see if he had any ideas. "Heddurk," he said softly in rebuke when the boy kept rambling, pulling him from his plans of raining brimstone down on Dantooine.

"...sorry."

Jaster finally reached out and ruffled Heddurk's dark hair in an affectionate way. "You did good. I'll handle it from here." He needed to go hunting. He pointed to Myles and Dez before motioning the order for them to gear up. 

There was a scientist to hunt down.

Things had turned a bit chilly in the cave after the Mand'alor had stated he needed to investigate some of what was happening on the planet and left with two of the Mandalorians. The words Death Watch were uttered, he thought, but he wasn't positive. Qui-Gon had simply narrowed his eyes while Master Windu had seemed indifferent. Obi-Wan also wasn't entirely sure which two went with since they hadn't exactly given their names, which he figured had more to do with distress of the Jedi than anything. They seemed more open around the younglings and, well, him. The problem was the Jedi seemed to like to hover near him, stopping any real conversation from spawning. Everyone being so interested in him was starting to get a bit old.

He scraped his teeth over his lower lip while trying to portion out the oats and milk for the younglings. If he soaked them overnight, near the dying fire, then they seemed to be the right consistency for the boys to eat without getting horribly messy. Removing oats from hair and clothing was quite the process and one he did not look forward to repeating anytime soon. The Mandalorians had brought more food into the cave, but he was trying not to use all of their stuff. He would make the supplies they had liberated from the surrounding farms last as long as he could before he requested aid. If he noticed the twins chewing on jerky happily, well, he wasn't going to tell them not to accept presents from the warriors. Obi-Wan was currently focused on the task in front of him and found himself blinking when one of the Mandalorians crouched down next to him. He glanced their way before raising an eyebrow in question. 

This was new.

"Going to throw that at my face?" He snorted faintly as he shook his head. No, he would not be throwing food about this evening. One act of being uncivilized back at Dex's was enough to last him for the year. "Zhiaa," a gloved hand appeared suddenly in his line of sight and blocked out the bowl he was holding. He set said bowl down and clasped the hand in a form of formal introduction. 

"Obi-Wan, as I am sure you are well aware." The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as he felt eyes watching them. The privacy had really gone to nonexistent, he thought with mild annoyance. The fact Zhiaa was talking to him with both the Masters watching, plus Quinlan, was impressive. She wanted something. "To what do I owe this visit?"

Zhiaa shifted so she could sit down, her legs tucked under her. "Why did you call Jango finally? You made it clear you planned on running forever back at the diner." Obi-Wan shoved the bowls of oats towards the fire as he sighed. Ah, it had come time to talk about the diner. The second his hands were free the twins broke away from their efforts at demanding Quinlan float rocks for their amusement. He barely had time to blink before they were clambering into his lap with their gazes directed at Zhiaa.

"I found the younglings," he ran his hands over Cody and Rex's hair as he let out a content hum. They were going to need haircuts soon. "Things had become a bit complicated. I need someone to watch them while I try to get past the Trade Federation and into the ruins." 

"You called Jango...to babysit?" He thought he heard a strangled laugh in her voice and merely shrugged in agreement. That was a very accurate translation of why he had called finally. 

"It hardly seemed fair to ask him to wage war for me. Not so soon in our...relationship. That seems a bit more third date."

This time Zhiaa did burst out laughing before she could stop herself. "Jango would conquer the galaxy for you, all you have to do is ask." Obi-Wan could feel the flush creeping up his cheeks and hid his face by hugging the twins. He knew that Jango would topple governments for him, he sensed it, but that made him feel slightly anxious. The sheer emotion in those eyes when they focused on him seemed to peel back the layers of his soul. His past failures became exposed and raw. Jango probably wouldn't care about the blood staining Obi-Wan's hands, but he cared. He couldn't add Cody, Rex, and Boba to the list of failures. He needed Jango to watch over them while he tried to find answers. He needed to protect them and the Force seemed to whisper that his soulmate was the answer. 

"Where is Jango," he asked as a sort of topic change. Zhiaa merely gave him a knowing smile before informing him that the Mand'alor had requested his presence. He gave a faint nod as he let the twins steal his full attention. When Jaster did finally return he was clearly angry and ready to fight. The Mandalorians wanted to just destroy the ruins and be done with the planet. Their unease snapped at Obi-Wan's shields and he often found himself scratching at his wrists as if to rid himself of the new feelings. They crawled across his skin and mixed with whatever cold the planet oozed.

"We need what is hopefully in the old Archives," Qui-Gon said in a strangely calm tone as if he was sharing a cup of tea with someone and not standing there having every idea he uttered shot down.

"Hopefully," Jaster sneered in annoyance. "You would risk the lives of everyone for a hopeful? Those ruins could have been picked over multiple times before the Trade Federation ever showed up. I am not putting my people in danger for you."

"No one's life will be at risk if we use stealth-"

Obi-Wan was growing tired of the constant bickering and was only too happy to use the younglings as an excuse to slip away. If the previous planning sessions were any indication voices would soon be raised and Mace would end up scolding everyone. Before he could quite make it to Boba he felt a hand at his elbow. He glanced up at Jango and gave him a questioning look. The older boy merely smiled before giving him the universal signal for silence. Obi-Wan was just about to nod in understanding when he found their hands joined, fingers tangled, and Jango was pulling him out of the cave. He let the other lead the way, shivering faintly as the cool night air greeted him once they were out of the cave. His mind began to wander as they walked and he slowly tilted his face towards the stars. A warmth was spreading from their joined hands that soothed away all the scoring on his mind from the bombardment of heated emotions. When they finally stopped walking he noticed they could look down on the ruins, but were well outside where the patrols ventured. 

"It is just rubble at this point," Jango remarked as he started to reach for his helmet. He had to let go of Obi-Wan's hand to do so and the absence of warmth left the Jedi distracted. His gaze took in the ruins before he spotted the old, twisted tree. The black limbs jutted out above an opening of what had once been a roof. His eyes narrowed while he gauged the distance to the tree from the ledge they stood on. With the aid of the Force he should be able to make it onto one of the branches without too much effort, from there he could simply drop into the ruins. Had Qui-Gon and Quinlan not realized that? No, they had probably dismissed it since escaping that way would be difficult even for a Jedi.

"I have a plan," he blurted out and felt Jango still next to him, hands on his helmet as he paused in the removal. "I need you to stand guard- do you have ripcord or rope?"

"Yes-" Obi-Wan was already moving before Jango could even question what was going on. He took a running leap and called on the Force, reaching out with a hand to pull one of the slender branches out to reach him. His hand closed around the limb and he used his momentum to swing to a sturdier branch. Strong annoyance and worry snapped against his mind causing him to grin. He sent a reply of amusement over the bond before inching forward on the thick tree branch. Now that he was actually above the hole in the roof he couldn't help feeling like he had been far too impulsive. Stopping the bickering had driven him to take matters into his own hands. If he succeeded here then the Jedi and the Mandalorians would have no reason to be at odds. Well, at least at odds about planning on how to get onto the ruins. Sections of the roof were just missing either due to age or something else. Some ancient battle perhaps? That didn't matter at the moment, what mattered was what he was about to do. All he had to do was land on one of the more solid bits of the roof. Obi-Wan stepped off the branch and sent a silent prayer to the Force as he plummeted towards the ruins. Panic filled the bond, but he ignored it as he landed hard against a rotting beam. His knees nearly buckled under the impact and he flung his arms out wide to keep some semblance of balance. A second passed and then another as he tried to keep his pounding heart under control. He had done it! His thought came too soon because the sound of durasteel and wood groaning under his feet echoed in his ears. 

"Oh dear," he managed to get out before he felt the beam give out. Suddenly Jango was there, grabbing his arm, jerking him to a painful stop, and he could only let out a laugh of surprise. There was rage radiating from the Mandalorian and Obi-Wan realized he probably should have spent just a tad more time explaining what was going on in his mind before he had jumped. 

"Are you an idiot?"

"Mm, more like impulsive if what my Master says is the truth."

He could hear the beam under Jango's boots start to whine faintly. They were going to bring it crashing down. The fall couldn't be that far since he could still hear the sound of the other beam booming against the ground. A fall from this height would most certainly hurt, he decided, but he'd survive. 

His grip on the other's armored arm was slipping, fingers unable to find purchase. Obi-Wan stared into the abyss of Jango's visor. They couldn't stay like this forever, one of them was going to get tired. "Let me go," he flashed a tight smile. "I'm hardly going to fall to my death." The words were supposed to be reassuring, but they seemed to have the opposite effect. Gloved fingers bit into his wrist harder and he had to bit back a sigh.

"This is a reckless plan," came the modulated voice of the extremely stressed Mandalorian. "A plan you didn't even warn me about!"

"I am aware, but there is hardly anything we can do now. You have to let me go. I'll be fine." A growl escaped his soulmate and Obi-Wan was positive it echoed across the bond. 

"If you die I will find a way to bring you back so I can strangle you." 

His lips twitched into an actual smile as he released his grip on Jango's arm. A faint jolt of panic hit him when he slipped further towards the blackness below. "I know. Jango, dear, let go." The sense of unhappiness was clear over the bond and he tried to send reassurance back to ease the other's mind. There was a pause and then Jango let out a very impressive collection of swear words. Obi-Wan couldn't help the laugh that escaped him just as his wrist was finally released. Falling without fully knowing where he would land was always unpleasant, but this was hardly the furthest he had ever fallen. Memories of hurtling toward a raging sea flashed across his mind and he shoved them away as he focused on his current situation. 

This was going to hurt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote the ending first and then had to go back and write the rest. I write a mess and then have to rearrange things to fit lol 
> 
> I hope you are still enjoying this story. I am having fun writing it ^_^


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He swore he heard laughter bounce around him followed by screams. 
> 
> The ground seemed to heave under his feet, causing him to stumble slightly, and he spun around to find the source. An echo in the Force perhaps? Ghosts of explosions seemed to erupt just outside the circle of light his lightsaber cast. The younglings were crying- “No,” he choked out. The Enclave had fallen under a barge of fire and hate. The cold seemed to ooze towards his circle of light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeeeey. I can't get over [thiiiiiis.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26191930) Okata ;-; this is beautiful and I am sharing with everyone. 
> 
> That said: the following chapter has some talks about Obi-Wan clearly having little regard for his own life. You have been warned. Also- real big helping of angst and anger.

Chaabar [chah-BAR]  
_fear, be afraid of_

\---

His soulmate fell. 

He wanted to scream his rage to the skies. Why had the utreekov done that? The kriffing laugh and smile had been like tiny daggers twisting into his heart as he watched the jetii fall into the abyss below. Kenobi was insane, that was the only logical explanation. Jango had used his jetpack to get to the roof, risking drawing the attention of any guards with the noise, and now he was stuck standing on the roof while he tried to get his breathing to work right again. The fear tasted cold on his tongue and he found himself clenching his hands into fists. Bitter, rotten, and a dash of a frozen tundra seemed to settle in his mouth as he tried to calm himself down. The bond was still there, his soulmate was alive. _I'm hardly going to fall to my death._ He wasn’t ashamed to admit he had panicked when the other had just hurled themselves off the dying tree onto the clearly unstable roof. That panic had grown with each painful moment after before coiling into anger in his gut.

He was never letting his soulmate make plans again.

Obi-Wan had _laughed_. There hadn’t even been a flicker of fear in those eyes that showed far more of Kenobi’s soul than the fool probably realized. There had been something haunted and now he couldn’t get that image out of his mind. Some past injury had marked the jetii, darkening the blue of his eyes before he vanished into the darkness. He glanced down at his hand and wondered what he should have done differently. What words could he have said to stop the approaching madness? He had let go as asked and now he regretted listening. They were going to have a long discussion after this was all over. A thought suddenly struck him and he groaned. The twins were going to murder him if he just sent their buir to his death with a laugh. He swore as he crouched down carefully on the beam he was on and hoped that it was going to hold now. The creaking he had picked up on earlier was now silent, silent like the unknown below him. He finally reached up and switched the view of his HUD to infrared. 

Only one heat signature. 

That didn’t stop him changing his view and he hissed. Beskar’ad. They didn’t seem to be powered up at the moment, but droids always had a way of causing trouble at just the right moment. The image flickered dangerously on the HUD and he couldn’t help thinking that there was some interference. The droids, thankfully, didn’t seem to be close to where Obi-Wan had fallen. There was no telling how old those things were. There was a chance if he jumped down then they’d activate since he carried far more weapons than Kenboi. There was also the chance they were just dead. 

“I’m going to murder him anyway when this is over,” he muttered as he sent a wave of unease across their bond. His chest was thankfully loosening back up now that he knew the other wasn’t exactly in grave peril. Worst plan ever. Now he was going to have to figure out how to get his soulmate back out of the ruins safely without attracting the attention of the whole Trade Federation. Jango was going to need a distraction if he was going to also jump into the damn ruins and pull his soulmate out. He flicked his comms on and called Myles.

“Your buir is not amused,” his friend said dryly. “Neither is the hermit.”

“I am sure,” he bit out and knew he was not hiding the stress in his voice at all since someone else gasped over the call. “You patched in the others.”

“In his defense, vod, the twins are freaking out and we just wanted to make sure you are okay,” Heddurk said softly before letting out a faint grunt. “They have sharp elbows.” The little ankle biters were probably crawling over Heddurk like they did Obi-Wan. Jango wanted to bash his helmet against the beam he was on. Of course, the twins were freaking out and most likely drawing the attention of the jetiise. This evening was turning into one mistake after another and he could actually pinpoint the exact moment things went wrong. The image of Obi-Wan laughing flashed in his mind again and he let another swear word slip free. 

“They are fine,” Dez quickly reassured him, misunderstanding his reason for swearing. “We took them outside so they wouldn’t draw too much attention- but why are you calling? I thought you’d be trying to get in Kenobi’s -” “Dez,” Zhiaa cut in with a dangerous tone. A silence followed before Myles just sighed and he could picture the man just cradling his face in his hands. 

“If you are all done,” he snarled. “My di’kut of a soulmate just hurled himself right into trouble. Screw the plans buir and the jetiise were trying to make. Dez, I need you to do what you do best.”

“Explosions coming right up,” Dez said a little too gleefully. 

“There are beskar’ad-”

“So they might have a control unit nearby,” Heddurk interrupted quickly. “Leave that to me and Myles.”

“You are going to start a war.”

Jango winced before finally reaching up to add one more person to the conversation. “Buir,” he breathed out as his Mand’alor connected. “I have a bit of a problem.” The snort of laughter from Dez was filed away for later. If she kept it up she was going to wake up with stupid bugs in her bedroll. 

“Jang’ika, what have you done this time?” 

“Kenobi,” he tried to yank the panic in his voice back. “He jumped into the ruins, I tried to stop him, but the beam- I let go. I am going to follow him and get him back. The problem is-” 

“We are going to bring the fight to the Trade Federation,” Dez interrupted before he could finish. “Which will probably bring Death Watch to the ruins as well.” 

Jaster squeezed his eyes shut for a moment as he tried to wrap his brain around the fact his ad’s soulmate was just as reckless. He had thought jetii were supposed to be calm and think things through, but clearly he had been given them far too much credit. His lips twitched before he broke into a smile. The cry for war in his blood was going to be answered. Death Watch had destroyed innocent lives on this planet all so the Trade Federation could expand how far they were excavating. Dantooine was soaked with blood and fire thanks to the traitors that refused to just die. 

“I’ll gather the jetiise. Our enemies are going to deal with haran. I’ll take the bu’ade with me on my ship and go pick you and their buir up. Everyone else...hunt.” The comms went silent. Jaster stood up, wincing faintly as his joints protested the movement, and glanced towards where Qui-Gon was doing his best to not look like he was glaring blaster bolts. 

“Master Windu,” he said in the modulated voice of his helmet. “Your charge has gotten into trouble.”

“...of course he has.”

“Time to pack up and go rescue him.” The jetiise didn’t need to know that he fully planned on destroying the Trade Federation’s operations on this planet in the process. They also didn’t need to know that he wasn’t exactly planning on taking them all back to Coruscant when this was done. There was still the matter of tracking down whoever was creating clones. There was no telling how many clones were out there and he was going to rescue every single last one of the ade that shared blood with the Mandalorians.

°

The landing had been jarring, to say the least, and his knees had given out. Pain had raced through his whole body and then the blackness had arrived. Cold, taunting, clawing at his mind.

“Open your eyes,” came the soft voice he thought he might have recognized. A distant memory, a different time. His eyes snapped open at once and he was greeted only with darkness. He hadn’t been out long which he really only knew thanks to the fact Jango wasn’t freaking out over their bond. Well, no, not freaking out much. Jango was clearly unhappy.

Everything hurt. 

Obi-Wan winced as he slowly sat up, various parts of his body protesting the action. Worst plan ever.

“You need to actually see,” the lilting tones danced around him. “Follow the light. Time is running out.” 

He pulled his lightsaber free and held it in front of him as he activated the blade. Blue light cast over the space in front of him, illuminating just enough for him to be sure that he wasn’t in danger of falling in another hole. His free hand pressed to his side as he winced. Breathing hurt. Great, he was going to need a bacta injection most likely when he made his way out of this place. A light flickering further away made him shove his discomfort aside because now was the time to focus. Obi-Wan bit back a sound of pain as he took off running, ignoring the things he was seeing near the edge of his vision. Twisted durasteel, scoring, ghosts of what this Enclave had once been. He could see where banners had once hung proudly declaring this a place of learning and hope. People had cared for this place. He swore he heard laughter bounce around him followed by screams. 

The ground seemed to heave under his feet, causing him to stumble slightly, and he spun around to find the source. An echo in the Force perhaps? Ghosts of explosions seemed to erupt just outside the circle of light his lightsaber cast. The younglings were crying- “No,” he choked out. The Enclave had fallen under a barge of fire and hate. The cold seemed to ooze towards his circle of light.

“This way,” the voice called. He spun, boots slipping on debris, and managed to keep himself upright. “This way!” Obi-Wan slipped through the holes in what was once an impressive wooden door. The detailed engravings were weather worn and the glow of his blade only made them look even older. Stain or some sort of paint was faded to the point of no longer having an actual color. A pity, his heart ached for the beauty that had clearly once been crafted. He nearly stumbled over an old utility droid in his haste to get across the room. The thing was caked with dust and vines climbed up from the cracked flooring to wrap around its wheeled legs. The poor thing probably had lost its charge centuries ago and would never wake up again. He carefully moved around the droid and tightened his grip on the hilt of his blade. This place was growing more disturbing by the moment for some reason. The sound of his footfalls seemed to echo around him and the irritation in his mind was growing. 

Jango was very much not happy with him. 

Obi-Wan wanted to undo everything he had just done. 

“Here, here,” the childlike voice came again. 

He jumped onto a fallen statue and paused as he stared at the gaping hole in the wall. His lightsaber was slowly lowered to his side as he stared into the darkness ahead. “It’s in there,” he informed the form that landed next to him without a single indication of surprise. 

“What is in there,” Jango raised his blaster so he could point it towards the opening in the wall as he debated just knocking Obi-Wan out and carrying him to safety. That would probably be the wisest course of action at this point, but it was clear wise ideas had been thrown into the atmosphere earlier when Kenobi jumped.

“Whatever is calling me,” the Jedi simply breathed out as he turned his face towards the Mandalorian. Jango inclined his head slightly before spinning his blaster in his hand. Said blaster was slammed into his holster with mild frustration. Obi-Wan could only raise an eyebrow in question as the warrior took his helmet off. “Are you sure that is quite a wise ide- Oof,” he winced as the helmet was shoved against his chest rather abruptly, his free arm coming up to save it from falling. 

“I am beyond angry with you,” Jango bit out before covering Obi-Wan’s mouth with his own, swallowing any word leaving the fool in an attempted excuse. The sound of a lightsaber deactivating filled his ears and then there was an arm around his shoulders as his soulmate leaned into the kiss. _Finally._ Their position was a bit awkward with the helmet between them, but he didn’t care as he poured his emotions into the kiss. Anger, worry, affection, annoyance. When it finally felt like his lungs were going to scream he pulled back from his attack on his soulmate’s lips. He breathed out hard through his nose before resting his forehead against Kenobi’s. “Don’t ever do that again.”

A soft chuckle escaped Obi-Wan as he felt conflicting emotions. Jango was projecting loudly into their bond and he was a bit too dazed to fully shut them out. “It is hardly like I died,” which turned out to be the wrong thing to say because suddenly Jango's hand was on the back of his neck. The grip was almost painful and he opened his mouth to protest only to find himself pulled into a very different type of kiss. This one was consuming, the type that tore at his very soul, and he forgot how to even think as he fell apart in the middle of a ruined Jedi Enclave. Everything vanished around him as Jango somehow managed to shatter every single perfectly crafted shield he had inside his mind. The bond roared inside his head as pure heat began to race through his veins. He moved the helmet from between them, letting his arm fall to his side. The helmet bounced off his leg and he barely even noticed. His whole attention was on Jango and the erupting stars in his head. Obi-Wan whimpered and tried to press into his soulmate, chasing after the feeling, and then the sound of actual explosions ripped through the air around them. The statue under their feet rumbled in warning as the boys broke apart. His breathing was ragged and Jango’s matched perfectly. Anger snapped across his mind, but not at him. Jango was upset about the timing of the kriffing explosions.

“We’ve got an actual problem now,” he tossed the helmet back before leaping straight towards the opening in the wall. Behind him, Jango swore loudly before yelling after him. “What did I say about not doing stuff like this?” That statement went from a normal sounding voice to the modulated one of the helmet mid yell. His soulmate was already moving to follow.

Obi-Wan snorted with laughter before calling over his shoulder while he sent a wave of pure amusement across their bond. Annoyed affection was returned, only making him smile. “That you better keep up to make sure I don’t do something else reckless.” 

_"Hurry. You need to see."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...was that kiss worth the wait? Lol
> 
> Once again, love you all. I enjoy interacting with everyone. I appreciate the fact people are reading this story. So to those who don't leave comments? Love ya too~!
> 
> Okay, so I have created a spot to dump all my random blurbs regarding this verse. [Here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26202514/chapters/63767422) if you are interested. These are going to be spawned by questions/random thoughts/whispers of an Elder God. You know- the usual.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan stood in the middle of the destruction and struggled with getting his ragged breathing under control.
> 
> He felt overly hot. 
> 
> "Good second date." He blinked before laughing at Jango's remark. With trembling fingers he deactivated both lightsabers, throwing one to Jango for safekeeping without a second thought. He didn't have the proper clips on his belt to carry two and clearly his soulmate had the means to store one lightsaber. 
> 
> "This was hardly a date," he mused out loud as he stepped over the mangled remains of a droid. “And we never had a first.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing like bonding in some ancient ruins, amirite? Really gets the relationship going.

Buirkan [boo-EER-kan]  
_responsibility_

\---

The blue light erupted from the hilt of his lightsaber at the exact moment the soles of his boots connected with the uneven ground. He stood there a moment, blade above his head, and surveyed the droids. They were shuttering to life and appeared to have weapons, weapons that were very much not ancient. These did not belong to the enclave, no, they seemed to belong to the Trade Federation. Oh, not good. Obi-Wan spun his blade as he dropped into a crouch. Blaster bolts sailed past where his head had just been and exploded through several chest plates. He grinned as he held up his free hand towards Jango. The action was rewarded with his old lightsaber hilt being slapped into the palm of his hand. A jolt raced through him as he felt the familiar song of his first crystal. 

“Thank you,” he breathed out before launching himself forward with the aid of the Force. The second blade screamed to life and he shoved aside the knowledge he had never truly trained to fight with two blades. He could only trust in the Force and let it guide him. Do not think, _feel._ Obi-Wan could sense every single droid finishing their power-up sequence. There were just so many, he thought as he brought a lightsaber up to block a bolt of energy directed at his face. What was the Trade Federation protecting in this room? 

“You know,” his soulmate said in an almost conversational tone as he shot down three more droids. “I just wanted to get to know you, not go to war with you so soon.”

“I would have thought this counted as courting, judging from how you treated me on Zeffo,” he retorted before shoving one of his sabers away from him so it sailed in an arc of destruction. Blade bit into the constructs and an angry line of smoldering orange greeted him as droids fell. 

“Oh, so you want to court me? About time.”

“That is hardly what I said and you know it!” He ran forward and a faint warning echoed in his mind. He threw himself into a crouch with the empty hand stretched out. His fingers strained for a moment and then the hilt of his lightsaber slammed into his palm while he twisted the other blade behind his back. Sounds of fighting from outside seemed to echo into the sound of Jango’s blaster going off over and over. Each shot was precise and did the job surprisingly well. Mandalorians were amazingly deadly. The droids were also good shots, but the Force moved through him, steering his movements. His blades seemed to know where to be at the right second in order to deflect those blaster bolts away from him and his soulmate. He hadn’t quite mastered sending them all back towards the droids, but a few seemed to hit some marks. When they were free of this enclave he fully planned on cornering Master Jinn and Master Windu to help him learn more forms of lightsaber combat. Knowing the basics was only going to get him so far it seemed. He felt sloppy, even though not a single bolt had broken through his defense. He knew he could do better. A particularly loud explosion rocked the room hard, causing both him and Jango to falter in their footing, and large chunks of the ceiling dropped free. He quickly stretched his hands out to catch the debris with the Force. He twisted his wrists, blades nearly touching the ground, and hurled the stones into several droids on either side of him. The impact rang loudly in his ears, a mixture of grinding metal and stone.

“That looked like you were courting me,” Jango said with far too much amusement. Obi-Wan merely shot a look over his shoulder to show how unimpressed he was with that remark. The next moment he was lunging forward, blades slicing through droids as he went. His heart was beating faster as his focus seemed to narrow down on an ancient looking lockbox near the other end of the room.

“There,” the voice he kept hearing whispered in his ear. “Take it.”

He ran straight towards a droid and jumped at the last moment, boot connecting hard with a hollow clang. He used that momentum to hurl himself up into the air. The Force swirled excitedly while a feeling of surprise zipped across the bond followed by a feeling he didn’t quite understand. Possessive perhaps? _Wanting._ He’d worry about that later when they weren’t in the middle of a battle. He crashed down in the middle of the remaining droids and as one they all turned towards him. “Hurry,” the order came from the disembodied voice. The Force came to his aid as he pushed out hard with the power. The shockwave was instant as droids went careening into each other along with the shelves holding degrading books of flimsi. A pang of guilt hit him as he realized he had just furthered along the destruction of ancient texts. Sparks seemed to dance erratically above the fallen droids, only interrupted now and again by the fact their limbs were twitching in a jerky manner. Jango set about making sure each droid stayed down for good, the sound of his blaster going off echoed in the space as he put a hole in the head of each droid. Obi-Wan stood in the middle of the destruction and struggled with getting his ragged breathing under control.

He felt overly hot. 

"Good second date." He blinked before laughing at Jango's remark. With trembling fingers he deactivated both lightsabers, throwing one to Jango for safekeeping without a second thought. He didn't have the proper clips on his belt to carry two and clearly his soulmate had the means to store one lightsaber. 

"This was hardly a date," he mused out loud as he stepped over the mangled remains of a droid. “And we never had a first.” His heart was still racing while a sense of trepidation seemed to skate across his skin. Obi-Wan shoved the emotion aside as he secured his second lightsaber into the clip on his lower back. Droids littered the ground in various stages of detritus, the remnants a stark contrast to the decay of the older pieces of the enclave. They had clearly been out of place in this building. A wound against the ruins. He kicked a limb out of his way and felt as if he hit an invisible wall. His eyes widened a fraction as pure dread seemed to root him to the ground. 

“Take it,” the whisper came again. His fingers twitched as he tried to move an arm up to just seize the lockbox. It was no bigger than Boba and he knew whatever was inside was important, but something seemed to be holding him back from just grabbing the thing. “You have to _see_. War is coming. He rained it down on us, in revenge. You have to stop the rise.” He jerked his arm up and just as his fingers were about to brush the front of the lockbox the wall to his side exploded. 

His ears rang.

“Time to go,” Jango snapped unexpectedly from right behind him. Obi-Wan let out a strangled sound as an arm wrapped around his waist and he tried to pull free so he could snag the box. The vines of dread loosening all at once now that his soulmate was holding him. An arm shot past his face and grabbed the lockbox before slamming it against his chest hard. He quickly twisted to wrap an arm around the Mandalorian’s neck as more droids flooded through the wall like a mass of writhing insects. A roaring sound seemed to invade his senses while his vision started to go dark around the edges. The enclave was quaking. The Force was lashing between being angry and relieved. It was all too much. Jango was reaching up for something and suddenly his feet weren’t on the ground anymore. The arm around his waist tightened painfully, but all he really felt was a sense of relief as the remaining portions of the ceiling started to rain down on the droids below. 

They were rescued.

“Buir,” the twins yelled over the roaring of the enclave collapsing in on itself. He glanced up to see the twins straining against the grip of a Mandalorian. They were awfully close to the ramp of the ship. Quinlan was right next to the group. Good. He could stop them from tumbling out into the chaos below.

“Jango.”

“Obes!” 

They shot up past the ramp before Jango let go of the rope he had been holding. The landing was shaky and he was positive he felt the ramp sway as the ship began to rise higher. Two other ships were also gaining altitude to match theirs and he wondered faintly if that meant they were finally leaving Dantooine. He stumbled up the landing ramp blindly before collapsing the moment Jango loosened his grip. Really, he just sat down hard and stared dumbly at the pockets of fire erupting throughout the entirety of the ruins. Master Jinn was saying something to him, prying the box from his hands, and he could only nod. 

They had destroyed history. 

The laughter kissed his mind like a thanks as the once home of the Jedi of old finally fell into nothing more than ash and dust. The ramp began to close as a Mandalorian lobbed something out of the ship before it was fully closed. Obi-Wan blinked and then let out a hiss of pain as two small bodies slammed hard into him. Rex had gotten him right in the ribs that were now reminding him that they were hurting from earlier. Unease and annoyance filled his head and he quickly sent reassurance back before wrapping his arms around the two extremely clingy children. 

“Kenobi,” Jango’s real face dragged him from his shock as he suddenly found himself staring into the angry eyes of his soulmate. The older boy was crouched down with a very unimpressed look on his face. “You are injured.” Where was his helmet?

“It is hardly-”

“Don’t. Heddurk, get the medkit.”

“Lek,” the Mandalorian turned away from the closed ramp and moved quickly over to some netting near the door. He peeled it back and punched a code into a keypad. A smallish compartment popped open revealing a medkit. Obi-Wan blinked as he rubbed the twin’s backs in an attempt to soothe them. They were bleeding fear into the Force. He felt a pang of guilt as he realized how much he had scared them. 

“Jango, where is Boba?”

“He is with my buir, don’t try to distract me,” came the gruff reply. Jango accepted the medkit with a nod and began digging through it with a sort of determination. He snapped out something in the language Obi-Wan didn’t know and the twins shifted off of his lap. They latched onto his arms, rather like tiny vices meant to keep him in place. Just what had Jango said to them? Also, why were they listening now of all times? An eyebrow shot upward in question as his soulmate reached forward, his fingers tangled in the front of the shirt. He yanked upward revealing the sickly greens and purples that graced Obi-Wan’s side over his ribs. Jango gave him a challenging look before pressing a hand against the injury and Obi-Wan wasn’t sure what compelled him, but he kicked the other in the gut as retaliation for the sudden pain. Heddurk snorted with laughter. “Idiot,” Jango snarled before slamming a bacta injector straight into the mass bruise. Cold erupted from the spot, mixing with the stab of pain, and he let out a stream of swear words in several languages. A sudden tight pinch in his ribs and then he was sighing in relief. 

He squeezed his eyes shut when Jango gripped the back of his neck again before pressing their foreheads together. “I’m sorry,” he finally managed to say. The weight on his arms vanished and then he felt Cody and Rex squeezing their way between him and Jango. They weren’t shoving the older Mandalorian away for once. Obi-Wan cracked his eyes open finally and glanced down at the twins. They were a tad ashen. 

Oh, he felt immensely guilty for some reason.

“I think...I need to lay down.”

Jango sighed before standing up. “Come on, you can rest in my room for now.” He held his arms out to the twins and Obi-Wan was shocked to see them actually move to take his hands without a fight. What was going on? He slowly rose to his feet and followed after his soulmate and the twins. Soon enough he found himself stretched out in Jango’s bed, the twins on either side of him. Jango had left for a moment once he was positive Obi-Wan wasn’t about to hurl himself off the ship or the like. Which seemed hardly fair, it wasn't like he was some impulsive child with a perchance for jumping off of things- despite what had just happened. When he came back he was holding Boba, the baby shrieked with joy at the sight of his buir and Jango handed the suddenly squirming child over. 

“The hermit said-”

“Beg your pardon? Hermit?”

“...Jinn. Jinn said to get rest. He and Mace are going to try to get that lockbox open while you rest. I need to talk to my buir.” Oh, Master Jinn hopefully didn’t know that Jango was calling him a hermit. If Jango was doing it, well, the other Mandalorians probably were as well. That was hardly going to do anything to help relations, in fact, it was more likely to upset Master Qui-Gon even more. Boba squirmed in his arms until he sprawled across his chest before blowing a few spit bubbles to show his delight. The baby practically radiated happiness in the Force, a stark contrast to the twins and their unease. They still seemed to think he was going to vanish again and he wasn’t quite sure why.

“In your bed already? Wow, you two move fast,” Quinlan said suddenly behind Jango’s shoulder and the Mandalorian tensed up. Vos didn’t wait for the other to move before pushing his way inside the room. Obi-Wan grinned at his friend and shifted just enough, dragging the twins and Boba with him, so Quinlan could stretch out next to him. Naturally, his friend rolled onto his side and threw an arm across everyone, pretty much trapping them in place. He felt the spike of jealousy and rage from Jango.

“Jango,” he said softly. “He is making sure I am not trying to move too soon.” The jealousy and rage seemed to level out faintly before turning into just annoyance. Obi-Wan flashed a tight smile to his soulmate while sending actual affection across the bond. “I have a habit of...not sitting still.” Quinlan snorted right next to his ear and merely rubbed his nose against the underside of his jaw, a form of seeking comfort. 

“Rest,” Jango finally seemed to settle on saying while various emotions danced across their bond. “And we will talk about everything when you wake up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always- thank you for reading.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “And there is the rest of your children,” Quinlan moved to sit down on the floor next to the bed as he wiggled his fingers at the twins in a mockery of a wave. Obi-Wan shot him a weird look before pulling his legs up so he could sit cross-legged under the covers, Boba still in his lap. 
> 
> “Buir,” Cody and Rex cried at the same time. “We brought food-” “-we brought tea!” Their words overlapped perfectly. The heated exchange seemed to only grow more heated and he couldn’t help glancing towards the door. Quinlan snorted before leaning his head back against the wall. His gaze was also fixed on the door as he somehow managed to help the twins climb onto the bed without spilling either plate or mug. An impressive feat, honestly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...have another chapter! I had a long weekend and a lot of free time since I decided to not like do any chores or such. My laundry can figure out how to do itself, right?

Buycika [BOO-she-kah]  
_cradle_

\---

There was yelling from somewhere else in the ship and he just wanted to bury his head under a pillow in an attempt to drown the noise out. His aching body just wanted to go back to sleep, not be woken up to deal with whatever madness was happening, so he tried to roll over to get more comfortable. Obi-Wan realized he couldn't exactly move, something his sleep hazed mind didn't quite understand. Something or someone was weighing him down. He groaned as he opened his eyes, something he regretted as he found himself face to face with Quinlan. The other boy’s nose was mere inches from his and if he lurched forward he could headbutt his friend. Something he was going to hold off on for the moment while he tried to fully wake up.

“Oh, good, you are finally awake,” Quinlan sat up before picking up a rather grumpy looking Boba. Obi-Wan’s eyes widened in surprise and he tried to dodge the upcoming attack. He failed, naturally, and got an extremely slobbery mouthing from the baby. Boba drooled all over his cheek as his friend laughed. The addition of a few spit bubbles was most unwanted.

This was not how he had expected to be woken up.

“That is disgusting,” Obi-Wan shifted just enough to get his hand between his cheek and the mouth of Boba. A move he second-guessed instantly when his fingers became a chew toy. Ah, yes, he should have headbutted Quinlan after all. “Why are you tormenting me with a child?”

“Get used to being a parent, Obes,” Quinlan merely hummed with amusement as he finally pulled Boba away so Obi-Wan could work at sitting up. The tiny child let out a sound that was dangerously close to a wail without actually crying, his arms straining towards what Obi-Wan could only assume was his hair. Boba’s fascination with his hair had a habit of getting rather painful when tiny fingers gripped way harder than any child that size should be able to do so. 

“Hilarious,” he drawled out. An eyebrow shot upward as he glanced at the bed he was laying in. There were two tiny bodies missing that he was positive had been there when they had all fallen asleep. “Where are Cody and Rex?” Vos grinned instead of answering while he pretty much dumped the tiny squirming child into his lap. Obi-Wan opened his mouth to say something and was cut off from the sound of voices rising even higher in a heated argument. A wave of pure annoyance battered against his mind.

“Oh dear,” he breathed out and wasn’t that surprised when Cody and Rex came scrambling back into the room, each of them holding something. Cody had what appeared to be a plate of food and Rex was doing his best not to spill a mug he gripped tightly. Liquid was sloshing back and forth, threatening to jump over the rim of the mug. 

“And there is the rest of your children,” Quinlan moved to sit down on the floor next to the bed as he wiggled his fingers at the twins in a mockery of a wave. Obi-Wan shot him a weird look before pulling his legs up so he could sit cross-legged under the covers, Boba still in his lap. 

“Buir,” Cody and Rex cried at the same time. “We brought food-” “-we brought tea!” Their words overlapped perfectly. The heated exchange seemed to only grow more heated and he couldn’t help glancing towards the door. Quinlan snorted before leaning his head back against the wall. His gaze was also fixed on the door as he somehow managed to help the twins climb onto the bed without spilling either plate or mug. An impressive feat, honestly.

“They’ve been arguing since Jango’s dad dropped the bombshell we aren’t going back to Coruscant.”

“What- where are we going,” Obi-Wan reached around Boba to pick up half of a sandwich that seemed to be oozing a shockingly red liquid. Boba, for his part, just cooed and babbled some sort of gibberish while trying to reach for a piece of dried fruit. Obi’s eyes started to sting before he even took a bite and he felt the burn in his nose. The taste was like a blaster bolt to the mouth. Abrupt, searing, and he let out a faint cough. Quinlan grinned and he knew instantly his friend had helped make this sandwich. He shot a glare as he took another large bite and chewed pointedly. 

Kriff, his mouth was on fire, but the flavor was amazing.

Thoughts and questions were dancing across his mind, but he couldn’t quite grip them long enough to give them life. 

“Dunno, I ducked out about the time the threats started. Master Windu isn’t happy and Master Jinn was, uh, less than diplomatic. Calm, they are not.” A snort escaped him before he could stop himself as his friend mocked Master Yoda slightly.

“Buir,” Cody said rather forcefully and Obi-Wan paused in taking another bite of his fiery sandwich. He gazed down at the twins and noticed the second they realized they had his undivided attention. Determined gazes fixed solely on him. He rather felt like he was about to be put on trial for some reason. “You have to promise.”

“Promise what, dear one?”

“Not to die on us.”

Silence stretched for a moment while he tried to grapple with the fact the twins were even thinking about death. It said something that even Quinlan was silent, just watching the exchange instead of cracking some inappropriate joke. This was a serious moment, and yet what tumbled out of his mouth was merely confusion, “I’m sorry?” 

“Ba’buir said-”

“Ba’buir?” He really needed to learn the language they were speaking.

“He said you and Jango were going to die and-” Oh, oh, _oh no._ Obi-wan quickly used the Force to float the mug of tea and plate to safety before he leaned forward to yank both of the twins to his sides. They snuggled up against him and reached out at the same time to use their hands to grip at Boba’s tiny ones. The sensation of both sides of his shirt growing damp only added to the distress in the room as they began to sob. Their crying set Boba off and he had no idea how to calm down three children at once. He cast a look of panic towards Quinlan, who merely held up his hands to show he had no idea. His friend did snag the plate and mug before setting them down on the floor next to him. That was at least helpful.

“Shhh, dearhearts, I’m fine. No one was in danger of dying… I am sorry I worried you.” His words didn’t seem to do much so he weaved a bubble of comfort around the group, trying to soothe them. 

“Buir,” Rex somehow managed to hiccup against his side, the voice muffled. 

“I’ve been meaning to ask, what does buir mean exactly?” 

“It means parent,” Jango said as he stepped into the room. Irritation was etched on his face, but it seemed to soften as he took in the sight of Obi-Wan with a pile of crying children. _Parent._ His brain seemed to stop functioning for a moment as he stared down at the younglings in pure surprise. Quinlan was trying his best to smother a laugh by physically putting a hand over his mouth. 

Buir.

_Parent._

“I-” The words actually failed him and then Quinlan lost it, his laughter mixing with the softer sound of crying. He cleared his throat before glancing at his soulmate. “And...ba’buir?”

“Grandparent.” 

Everything in his head short-circuited as he tried to figure out who the grandparent was. “I don’t recall-” He floundered for a moment and went to motion vaguely in the air with a hand, but found he couldn’t quite bring himself to let go of the children. “I mean I was not aware they had a grandparent, if someone else has a claim to them then I need to-” 

“They are talking about my buir, you di’kut,” Jango stepped over Quinlan’s legs so he could softly drop his fist down on top of Obi-Wan’s head. The padawan made a sound of protest and the twins actually managed to let out some very watery laughs. He really was not awake enough for this conversation. A strangled sound escaped as he found himself, along with his supposed children, being shoved towards the wall. His soulmate gave him an unimpressed look as he climbed into the bed so he could settle into a stretched out position. Boba let out a string of unknown sounds before squirming off of his lap so he could crawl over to Jango. The older Mandalorian merely smirked as he helped the demanding baby sit on his chest. Boba promptly began to entertain himself by attempting to get one of his own feet into his mouth. 

The children thought he was their parent. They also were somehow under the impression that the Mand’alor was their grandparent. He cast a look at Jango, who was attempting to halt a foot from entering a mouth and ended up just staring. The bounty hunter seemed to sense the blatant gaze and sent a wave of the perplexing emotion across the bond. His mind was involuntarily yanked back to the kiss they had shared in the ruins. The feeling in the bond only intensified as he realized he was leaking his reaction to the memory into the bond, Jango seemed to be excited because of his slip up. The room suddenly felt overly warm and he cleared his throat as he turned his attention back to Cody and Rex, both of whom were starting to pass out against him. 

“Wouldn’t that make you buir as well,” the question left his lips before he could stop himself and Quinlan spit out the mouthful of tea he had been attempting to drink. Jango practically dripped with happiness and victory as he ignored the antics of Vos. 

“Well, since you asked so nicely,” the older boy drawled out with a smug look plastered on his face. The only thing that was saving him from being shoved off the bed was the fact Boba was still on his chest. Obi-Wan was slowly getting a headache. He reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose as he tried to center himself.

He was very much not awake enough for any of this madness.

“I hate you all,” he breathed out as Quinlan and Jango both burst out laughing at the same time. That, alone, was disturbing. The twins stirred and Boba took that chance to spit up a piece of dried fruit right on Jango’s chest. Quinlan laughed harder as Obi-Wan leaned back against the wall before letting his eyes close again.

Force, he needed another nap.

∘

“You can’t be serious,” Qui-Gon bit out while trying to pull back the anger in his voice. Jaster merely smirked at him. There were two Mandalorians standing behind him, both closer in age to Obi-Wan and Jango, and everything was going wrong so dangerously fast. 

“Master Jinn,” Mace tried to sound diplomatic, but clear agitation was bleeding into his voice as well. “They were kind enough to lend aid-”

“-something I recall being against.”

“And if they need to make a stop before they return us to the Temple then I think we should just sit back and relax. Besides, we have things to keep us busy. The lockbox for one.”

Jaster shifted in his seat as he watched the jetiise bicker amongst themselves. He had spotted the young Kiffar and the twins slip past at one point to cause who knew what type of chaos in the small kitchen on the ship. He didn’t say a word to stop them, but he knew Myles and Heddurk were watching everything with matching looks of amusement under their helmets. 

“Gentlemen,” he stretched his left leg out slightly to ease a minor ache. The knee was stiff and traveling for long periods of time only seemed to add to the ancient injury. Later he was going to need to place a warm compress on the spot to loosen the muscles up some. “We will have you back to your Temple before the standard Galactic year is up.” 

“A year,” Qui-Gon’s voice raised to the point of almost being a yell. He seemed to realize he was hardly being calm and the next words out of his mouth were of a much more acceptable level. “And where pray tell, are you planning on taking us all for the next year? This is dangerously close to kidnapping, Mand’alor.”

Jaster raised his voice to match the earlier volume of the jetii and didn’t mind pouring hot emotion into his words. “You dragged us to Dantooine and started a war with Death Watch, Master Jetii. You are only welcome to my hospitality because I am feeling in a merciful mood.”

“I don’t think,” Mace tried to interject, but Qui-Gon was already charging on. The tension was rising in the room. “I’ll have you know,” Jinn practically yelled. “We did no such thing! We had everything perfectly in hand before my Padawan so foolishly-”

“Foolishly?” Jaster slammed a fist against the table and everyone seemed to jump in their seats. “Kenobi is the only one who showed some semblance of having intelligence. You had foundlings in your care and you were going to get everyone killed! If I say I need to make a side trip then we make a side trip. You lost the right to get a say, not when you put your mission ahead of the ade.”

The silence that rang after that outburst left both of the jetiise rather uncomfortable. 

Mace finally cleared his throat as he leaned back in his chair, exuding calm as he did so. “Perhaps if we knew where we are going then we could adjust to this new situation with more ease. No offense, but I hardly doubt you are about to bring us into the heart of your people.”

Jaster raised a hand to the silver eyed Mandalorian behind him and the boy blinked before uttering a single word. “Tatooine.” 

“And can I ask why this planet?”

Heddurk glanced to his ‘Alor for guidance and when Jaster nodded he continued without making eye contact with the jetiise in front of him. His gaze was fixed on the table as he spoke, “We are on a hunt. What I’ve sliced from the datapad we recovered from a member of Death Watch on Dantooine leads us to believe our next destination should be Tatooine.” Myles tapped the toe of his boot against Heddurk’s when the words started to trail off. Heddurk cleared his throat before letting out a bit of a sigh. “The help- uh, your help would be appreciated in the hunt. We stand out.”

“Hunt?” Mace glanced from Heddurk to Jaster with a raised eyebrow. 

“To find whoever decided it was a brilliant idea to mess with the Mandalorians. While we travel you can ask Kenobi if he will open that lockbox that has clearly outsmarted both of you,” Jaster drawled out and merely grinned as Qui-Gon rose to the bait again. 

Jetiise were hardly serene creatures.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH LOOK! WE ARE GOING TO TATOOINE! 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading. I appreciate every single comment and message on my tumblr. 
> 
> Listen, just thank you, thank you for loving my creation. It means a lot to me.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We stopped for supplies,” Jango supplied easily enough as he gave the family in front of them a once over. His gaze clearly said he found them insignificant, and the feeling of contempt that danced across the bond only enforced that. 
> 
> “I’m Obi-Wan,” he offered up, ignoring the look from Jango, and motioned with his free hand to his soulmate. “And this is-” 
> 
> “Jango.” 
> 
> Boba babbled something no one could understand before starting to fuss again. Yes, that seemed to be about right for how this whole day was going.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the minor delay, despite not having a set schedule, but last week was rough. Bright note is that the building we live in got sold and the new landlords are keeping us, plus cut a deal so we maintain the lawn and do snow removal...and they knocked money off our rent for that. This is a huge weight off my shoulders because I was an anxious mess thinking I might have to move and that is just not fun. (The building went up for sale in July so I've been dealing with this cloud over my head since we didn't know what was going on, but stuff came up Millhouse!)
> 
> My mind is finally back in creative mode so have a chapter!!!

Mirshir [MEER-sheer]  
_shock, stun (lit. *brain* someone, knock out their brain)_

Tatooine was horrid. 

Obi-Wan had actually been thrilled that they had finally landed, but now? He'd rather still be in space dealing with the chaotic occupants of the ship. Sure, the ship was tight quarters, but he would honestly take Quinlan yelling insults as he ran from Myles after stealing yet another one of Myles’ drinks over suffering through the stifling heat of this planet. He was a tad surprised they were all actually still alive at this point. Quinlan, while one of his closest friends, was definitely an acquired taste. There had been a few times he debated just shoving the padawan out of an airlock, but if the Mandalorians weren’t, then he certainly wasn’t about to set a bad example. Besides, he would miss Vos. He was positive Master Windu, and Master Jinn would also end up missing Quinlan, despite their grumblings about the energy of youth. Qui-Gon shockingly had seemed to calm down as the journey went on, but he suspected it had more to do with the Mand'alor, basically ignoring the older Jedi than anything else. 

Jaster Meerel was a cunning man that knew how to get a perfect rise out of his Master. It was no wonder that he and Vos were thick as thieves at times. Obi-Wan was impressed with how much his friend had integrated himself to the group of Mandos, even if he did catch Jango glaring at the other boy. Lesson modules had been the only time when everyone was truly calm- right up until Jaster, and one of the Jedi Masters debated how the lessons should go. It was hardly surprising a few of the lessons ended, well, heatedly. 

Yes, Obi-Wan was glad they had landed, but he was yearning for them to be anywhere else in the galaxy. He’d take snow over this planet.

The second they had landed, he had been left on the ship with his children. Jango had stayed behind, but everyone else had taken the chance to escape under the excuse of hunting. Master Jinn and Master Windu had given him strict orders not to play around with the lockbox while they were gone. Quinlan, of course, had mouthed that he should certainly play with the lockbox. He was not exactly amused at being left out of things again, especially since his soulmate had pointed out that he'd just get injured somehow. The jokes at his expense about getting trampled by a bantha had not been appreciated; Quinlan had naturally thought the jokes hilarious. So he was resigned to be left out of things for the time being thanks to his stunt on Dantooine, even if he didn't think the punishment fair. He shot a glare at said soulmate as Jango chased after the twins in a game of what he assumed was a game of tag on the landing pad. Obi-Wan had yet to move from where he was sitting on the ship's ramp with an extremely fussy Boba. The heat was stifling, and the sand was far worse. Sand seemed to want to get into everything. Already he could see Cody and Rex were going to need a round in the sonic to get the blasted sand off of them, but he figured that could wait until bedtime. 

Boba grumbled before squirming enough to hit Obi-Wan in the shoulder with a tiny fist. He frowned as he tried to soothe the baby, who had only seemed to grow more frustrated. The behavior had started when they were a few cycles from Tatooine, and since then, his sleep had been almost nonexistent. He honestly had no idea what was wrong with Boba. None of the adults seemed to be overly worried, so he was left to fret by himself. 

A loud cry of delight echoed from the open hangar doors, and he found himself glancing that way. A small child stood there, clapping his hands. He was like a plasma bolt to the brain. Obi-Wan had to squint against the sheer brightness of the toddler that ran into the hangar. No one else seemed to be suffering what he could only describe as a Force headache. 

“Ani,” a woman’s voice cried out before she too ran into the hangar. Jango had stopped his game with the twins and stood in a defensive manner in front of them, one twin peering out from behind him on either side. “What have I told you about running off?” Ani, who must have been the supernova in child form, ran towards Obi-Wan, and Boba took that exact moment to wail loudly in his ear. He flinched hard as a second splitting headache grew over the first. Everyone, including the newcomers, looked at the baby in surprise.

“Boba,” he breathed out as he tried bouncing the boy on his leg in an attempt to calm him down. Boba was stubborn in this crying fit and carried on as if he wasn’t being comforted. A wave of sympathy brushed up against his mind, and he returned the feeling with one of exhaustion. He wanted to help the crying babe, but it was amazingly frustrating to figure out how when Boba couldn’t even talk.

“He looks about the age to be teething,” the woman said with a smile as she tried to stop Ani from climbing the landing ramp. Jango was merely watching everything with an oddly serious look on his face. He couldn’t sense any malice from the woman or the boy, but Obi-Wan was still cautious. 

“Pardon, teething?” Boba let out a hiccuping sob, and the woman merely walked closer. 

“Yes, Ani was awful at that age. I remember the crying fits and the fact he was irritable for days.” Yes, that all sounded like Boba. He glanced down at the baby on his knee and sighed as he had to wipe more drool from a scrunched up chin. “Do you have any fruit or bread to freeze? The cold helps soothe the gums, and it won’t hurt him if he swallows a bit.” 

“Boys,” Jango ushered the twins towards the ramp. “Go raid the vator and see what you can pilfer for your brother.” Cody and Rex both stared at Ani as they ran up the ramp, shoes thunking loudly as they did, and Obi-Wan couldn’t help thinking they were like tiny banthas on purpose. So small, yet so shockingly loud when he had a headache. Once the twins were inside the ship, he could hear them talking, but tuned it out as Jango came to stand next to the ramp. His soulmate had a hand resting casually on his blaster as he fixed the strange woman with a look. Ani toppled forward suddenly onto the ramp, and Boba stopped crying as he stared at the older boy. It seemed the addition of a strange little boy in their space was enough to distract the baby from his discomfort. 

“Ani,” her voice was exasperated as she knelt down to make sure the boy was fine. “You need to watch where you are going!” 

“I...don’t mean to pry, but I don’t believe we got your name.”

“Oh! I’m Shmi, and this is my son, Anakin.” She looked up from dusting the boy’s knees off and flashed both Obi-Wan and Jango a friendly but cautious smile. “Are you just visiting Tatooine? I can’t say I would personally pick this planet for sightseeing.” 

Loud crashes in the ship had him trying not to sigh loudly. Jaster was going to force them to run laps around the hangar if the twins made a huge mess. The twins, of course, would be exempt from the punishment. The last time the boys had gotten into mischief, Jaster had sternly told him that as their father, he would take their punishments until they were old enough. Obi-Wan thought the Mand'alor just liked making him spar against a different Mando each time the boys found yet another hiding spot on the ship. “We stopped for supplies,” Jango supplied easily enough as he gave the family in front of them a once over. His gaze clearly said he found them insignificant, and the feeling of contempt that danced across the bond only enforced that. 

“I’m Obi-Wan,” he offered up, ignoring the look from Jango, and motioned with his free hand to his soulmate. “And this is-” 

“Jango.” 

Boba babbled something no one could understand before starting to fuss again. Yes, that seemed to be about right for how this whole day was going. 

“Sunshine,” Anakin said with a shocking amount of certainty as he pointed a small finger at Obi-Wan. Shmi bit her lower lip as she tried to pull her son back against her legs. The boy struggled before breaking free to basically tackle the padawan’s shins. Shmi’s hand flew to her mouth in mild horror, Jango half pulled his blaster free while shock whipped from him, and Obi-Wan simply froze in pure surprise. Cody barreled down the ramp a second later holding a piece of frozen jerky, Rex followed soon after with a piece of bread. They both seemed to screech to a stop as they took in the sight of some strange kid hugging their buir. 

“That bread,” Shmi was clearly doing her best to keep her voice calm. Everyone frozen had to be an unsettling sight, and Obi-Wan tried to send a comforting wave through the Force out to everyone to help undo the situation. A toddler on his shins was hardly the end of the world. “Is a bit big. You need to break it in half, may I?” She reached forward slowly towards the bread so not to startle anyone, and her sleeve rode up as she did so. Shiny skin, angry, scarred. Obi-Wan didn’t mean to stare, but the second he saw the marks, he knew with a sinking sense of dread that she was a slave. His own neck prickled in memory as he seemed to be unable to move as Shmi took the bread from Rex. She worked quickly to snap it in half before holding it out to Boba, who took the bread with a garbled noise. 

Tatooine was extremely horrid.

∘

When Qui-Gon made it back to the hangar housing Jaster’s ship, he found himself raising an eyebrow in slight surprise at the scene he was seeing. A blanket had been spread on the sandy ground, and it appeared the twins and a new boy were playing with some wooden blocks. A woman was holding Boba on her hip while the babe chewed away happily on a piece of bread. His gaze shifted to his padawan, and he felt a wave of uncertainty spike up in him. Obi-Wan was stretched out on the ramp with his head in Jango's lap. The bounty hunter, for his part, was keeping an eye on everyone while letting his fingers card through his soulmate's hair.

"I seem to have missed something," he remarked as he walked further into the hanger. Obi-Wan merely let out a hum of agreement as Jango snorted with dislike. "And who have we collected here?" He studied the woman first and then turned his attention to the boy. Qui-Gon could already tell he was quite strong in the Force. A Finder would probably never locate the boy since Jedi rarely traveled to planets like this. A shame, the power was untamed and would most likely cause issues as the boy grew up. His lips turned down into a faint frown as he realized if they were to take on the boy, then they would most likely need to adjust who was on the ship. There was no way Jaster was going to listen, and he doubted Mace wanted to travel on one of the other ships.

A complication that he would sort out after he convinced the mother.

"Old man," Jango called out, and a sigh escaped him before he could stop himself. The son of the Mand'alor seemed to enjoy trying to upset him. Qui-Gon had to admit that his grasp on his temper was slipping the more time he spent around the Mandalorians. They were like a blaring reminder that his Master had turned his back on the Order, and now they were stealing Obi-Wan. He wasn't concerned the boy would Fall, but he was concerned that he'd never be Knighted. Obi-Wan already somehow had a family, and he just wasn't sure he'd pick the greater good over the children. This was why attachment was dangerous. As Jedi they needed to be ready to do what was needed, even if it meant leaving those they loved behind. When he looked at his padawan now, he was reminded of a young boy handing his lightsaber over because he couldn't leave those he cared about behind. Obi-Wan had turned his back on the Order once before, and now he was surrounded by temptation to do so again. He saw the way Jango had weaseled his way into the padawan's life. Yes, the boy had helped save Obi-Wan, but none of them would even be in this position if the two hadn't met. 

A poke through his bond with Obi-Wan had him blinking and murmuring a soft apology. He had gotten caught up in his thoughts. "Yes, Jango?"

"Where is Vos?"

That was a good question. Qui-Gon found himself giving a soft smile as he crossed his arms over his chest before answering. "Quinlan thought it wise to check out the gambling scene to see how we could make a few credits fast."

"He did _what_ ," Obi-Wan blurted out.

"Oh, do not worry, young one. I believe Dez is with him."

"Oh, karabast," Jango breathed out and earned a smack in the arm from Kenobi for his swear. 

"Gambling can be quite dangerous here, the Hutts take it very seriously," the mystery woman spoke as she smiled down at Boba. Qui-Gon felt like he had missed quite a lot, more so since his padawan and Jango were now whispering to each other. They were plotting something, and it could only be trouble. This was, perhaps, the only time he felt like Jaster couldn't show up fast enough to pull the boys back from whatever chaos they were about to fling themselves into. 

"Shmi," Obi-Wan called out as he sat up slowly. Qui-Gon noted the way Jango pressed a hand against the back of the other's neck. Was the heat getting to his padawan? He didn't sense any illness, and any discomfort was clearly being blocked by Obi-Wan's shields. "How much do you think we'd have to gamble to free you and Ani?"

"...oh stars, I don't honestly know." Boba shrieked happily as he held the mutilated bread out like a prize, Shmi merely pressed a kiss to his drool soaked fist. 

Qui-Gon felt like the desert was going to open up and swallow him. The boy and his mother were slaves; of course, Obi-Wan was trying to figure out how to free them! He wanted to warn the boy about the dangers of interfering, but he couldn't quite bring himself to open his mouth. This wasn't his place to step in for once. Obi-Wan and his views on slavery were well known to him, and for once, it felt like the living Force was telling him to just stand back and let the cards fall as they would. Hopefully, there would not be any slave collars rigged to blow this time; he did not want to deal with that sort of incident again.

He was going to need to comm Mace right away because he had a feeling things on Tatooine were about to get rather complicated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... _Ani_.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaster frowned as he stared at the holomap they had forced out of the Guild. There were so many places to hide in this place and it was starting to actually grate at him. Heddurk had been the one to notice the knapsack that didn't match the ones that belonged to the jetiise. He had also been the one to yank everything out in an attempt to find some toy Rex was demanding to play with and that was how he had found the data chip. 
> 
> A damaged data chip that had taken lots of work to get up and running. What they discovered when it finally gave over its secrets left Jaster with a pit of anger in his gut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI! I am sure you have noticed I have gotten, uh, sporadic at responding to comments- I know you all understand, but I still want to apologize. I love all the interacting and hope to go back and respond to things. 
> 
> Life, that is all I am gonna say.   
> Now, unto the chapter!!!

Gett'se [GEt-say]  
 _courage, nerve_

\---

"This is not a good plan," Qui-Gon pointed out for what felt like the hundredth time. He merely earned a few helmets pointed towards him and slight amusement across the bond he shared with Obi-Wan. The padawan was starting to shed the shackles of doing exactly what the Council said and going, well, more maverick. He should be proud, but instead, he wanted to shake the young boy and let him know how badly this could all go. Mace was content to just sit back and listen instead of arguing against the plan. 

"He has a point," Quinlan piped up. "More people will wager against him then say one of our Mando friends. He doesn't look like a fighter-" "-Hey," Obi-Wan interrupted in mock offense. 

"It would be easier to just blackmail their way to freedom," Heddurk chimed in, voice modulated heavily. "I mean I can slice into the Hutts database…and we could definitely find something, right?" It was like every planning session involving both the Jedi and the Mandalorians had to be loud and overwhelming thanks to some manipulation of the galaxy. They had yet to plan anything calmly or without talking over each other, but Obi-Wan had started to get used to the mayhem. It was oddly comforting. 

"And then the Hutts will be our enemy forever," Myles knocked the side of his fist against the top of Heddurk's helmet and Obi-Wan couldn't help the faint smile that appeared on his face. Yes, very comforting. The Mandalorians all had this familial like bond and it was pleasant to witness, even if it could be rather chaotic at times.

“If I may,” he said as calmly as possible. Everyone turned to look at him and his growths- Cody and Rex were clinging to one leg while Anakin was clinging to the other. Boba was attempting to grab for him, arms stretched with hands opening and closing in a sort of demanding manner that only babies somehow had, but Jango was holding the babe just out of reach. “The fights are designed so no one dies according to what we learned. There are dampers in place, the worst that will happen is I might get knocked unconscious.” Displeasure zapped him sharply and he had to fight rolling his eyes. Honestly, Jango was worrying needlessly. “Between my training and the, uh, punishments I have endured while on the way to Tatooine I am quite sure I can handle a few rounds. I am the logical choice, you have to see that, Master,” he cast a look at Qui-Gon and raised an eyebrow to show he was going through with this scheme whether his mentor approved or not. 

“You may be the logical choice, young one,” Qui-Gon frowned as he crossed his arms over his chest, hands vanishing into his sleeves as he did so, and fixed Obi-Wan with a look. They both tended to hide their hands in sleeves when annoyed or anxious. Obi-Wan missed his robes sometimes, but it was far easier to deal with the children without them. “But that hardly means you are the only choice. There may yet be another way to free the boy and his mother- one that is less dangerous.”

“Never thought I’d see the day when you, of all people, backed down from the exciting idea,” Mace drawled out dryly. The look he earned from Qui-Gon was unamused, but the look he received from Obi-Wan was one of surprise. Having Master Windu on his side was welcome, but a tad confusing. He was so unused to the man siding with him. If anything he had often thought Mace Windu disliked him. This adventure was causing him to question that assumption since the man often gave him support when he was debating heatedly with his own Master. “I doubt Gurdalla the Hutt is simply going to wager them over a game of sabacc, I fear the gladiator arena is the only way we will free them, short of staging a coup. We don’t have the Council’s backing, Qui-Gon, not for that type of mission. We can confer with them, but I have the feeling we will be doing this the way the boys are planning.”

Quinlan let out an extremely loud whoop of joy and didn’t look the least bit ashamed when both Jedi Masters gave him matching unimpressed looks. 

“Perhaps, but I think it is best I go discuss this with the Mand’alor. We did come to Tatooine because he wished,” Qui-Gon argued slightly. "We would hardly want to interfere with his business." Myles and Heddurk glanced at each and Obi-Wan couldn’t help wondering just what they were saying to each other. The helmets made it beyond easy for them to have a conversation no one else was privy to, something that gave them an unfair advantage. He pulled his hand from off of Anakin’s head to snag Jango’s sleeve. He motioned with his chin towards the sleeping quarters and his soulmate merely nodded before saying something in Mando’a that had the twins scampering off ahead. He bent down enough to pull the small supernova into his arms and followed after his sons. 

“You know,” his voice came out faintly amused when they finally stepped into the room they all shared. “At some point, Shmi will be looking for her son.” Jango glanced down at the invader and made a face, Anakin made one back before burying his face in Obi-Wan’s neck. Great, another feud between a youngling and his soulmate. He couldn’t help thinking the twins were going to side with Anakin and restart their tiny war against Jango. He didn’t even want to know what type of bugs this planet had.

°

Jaster frowned as he stared at the holomap they had forced out of the Guild. There were so many places to hide in this place and it was starting to actually grate at him. Heddurk had been the one to notice the knapsack that didn't match the ones that belonged to the jetiise. He had also been the one to yank everything out in an attempt to find some toy Rex was demanding to play with and that was how he had found the data chip. 

A damaged data chip that had taken lots of work to get up and running. What they discovered when it finally gave over its secrets left Jaster with a pit of anger in his gut. 

There had been a scientist that had attempted to hide the boys on Dantooine, but there was a second one out there that had decided to go to this ball of dirt. The chip was missing entries, missing information, and still left far too many questions unanswered. His anger only grew each time he saw a name he associated with Death Watch listed in the information. They refused to answer the call but seemed more than happy to be involved in horrible practices. Children were sacred, to be cherished, not things to be grown to craft some abhorrent army. He gathered they were for an army, he just didn't know for what war. 

War hadn't infected the galaxy yet, at least not that he was aware of, and he couldn't help thinking about the soulmates. They had been the first omen of war coming and he had yet to see more signs. Despite that, he found the most maddening thing to be the fact it never said exactly where Kenobi's ade had been grown. They needed that second scientist so he could rip the information free. If they found the source then they could end everything before it had the chance to happen.

"So don't be mad," Dez spoke from his side, interrupting his thoughts, and he turned his face towards her slightly to show her that she had his attention. "But Jango and Obi are planning on gambling." That hardly seemed anything to be mad about, but knowing those two it was more complicated. He raised an eyebrow and fixed Jango's friend with a look. She shifted her stance slightly before clearing her throat. "Uh, the arena. Obi-Wan plans on competing so they can free those two slaves-"

Jaster threw a hand up for silence and Dez snapped her mouth shut, teeth clicking audibly. What was it with Obi-Wan and throwing himself straight into dangerous situations? He was actually a good fighter and had only grown faster and more confident thanks to sparring sessions with everyone. He didn't actually look like he could take down a bigger opponent, but they all knew he was quite capable. That was probably what the boy was counting on. People would bet heavily against him, more than they would any of the clear Mandalorians. 

A reckless plan on the surface, but it was a smart one. 

"When?"

"They are discussing it right now, but it looks like the next fight is tomorrow." 

That gave them time to negotiate with Shmi's owner. He waved a hand over the holomap, scattering the image until it faded. "I will go and wager one of the ships if, for some reason, our feral loth-cat somehow loses."

"Wager mine. I can always ride with Zhiaa," Dez said with a shrug. "But I don't think he is going to lose. Also, the hermit is unhappy and wants to talk to you."

Jaster sighed as he sank down into his seat. "Of course he is. He can wait. I need you and Zhiaa working on the hunt." A faint smile appeared on his face when Dez let out a sound of displeasure, hunting meant they might miss the fight tomorrow. "I need to know the location of that scientist and I don't want them escaping this planet. Am I clear?"

"Lek," Dez grumbled faintly before turning on her heel so she could go grab Zhiaa. The faster they found their prey the faster they could watch Obi-Wan fight.

°

Shmi had protested faintly when they told her the grand plan, but she didn't have much time to argue against the whole thing since Obi-Wan waited until shortly before the fight to inform her of things. He also didn't have time to worry about her response as he tried to meditate before the fight. She was concerned he might get injured, despite several people reassuring it would all be fine. He didn't blame her, not while he had a similar worry. 

He could hear the bloodthirsty cheering seeping through the walls. Heated emotions battered against his shields and he couldn't help thinking that this was all very uncivilized. Jaster had actually put a ship up as a means of making sure no one else found themselves a slave if he did lose. Things were growing exceedingly complicated. The Hutts had latched onto the idea of him brawling with malicious glee and they didn't even know he was a Jedi. He was somehow skipping over the rookies and going straight to the main event. If he won then the Skywalkers were free, if he lost then the Mand'alor would be down a ship.

His Master was back on the ship, watching after the children since no one wanted the kids to witness a violent fight. That and Qui-Gon was still against the whole plan. He wasn't interfering, merely not showing full support, and Obi-Wan was fine with that since he knew the boys were being looked after while he got himself a new collection of injuries. When this was over he planned on talking with Qui-Gon, laying some things out. They both knew they were a bit stunted in the open communication area and neither of them had attempted to remedy that issue. He knew he needed to reassure his Master and in turn be reassured himself. That was something he was not exactly looking forward to, but it was clearly needed.

Shmi had insisted she watch the fight despite the fact that even thinking about it seemed to turn her green in the face. Jaster had let her know she could sit with all of them. He suspected that Shmi and Jaster might have a connection, but it was hardly polite to ask. If they wished to tell people they would, otherwise, it was their business. Whereas his connection to Jango was somehow everyone’s business. Master Windu was also joining the spectators, actually, the only people that would be missing from the stands, besides the children, were his Master, Dez, and Zhiaa.

This was nerve-wracking. 

Obi-Wan hadn't realized he would be so anxious when he had come up with the plan. Now he could only picture all the ways this could go wrong. He almost felt like he was going to throw up, which would be highly unpleasant. If he failed- no, he needed to focus on the here and now. He breathed out as he reminded himself that he had to live in the moment. Worrying about the future would only blind him to things he should be aware of now. He had to be mindful. Everything seemed to fall away as he finally found his center. 

He barely noticed as he was summoned, but he found himself walking down a long hallway. He also barely noticed as a fighter limped past him. His mind was focused on the doorway ahead, the one bleeding light into the darkness. Death was not an option, but bloody and broken clearly was from what he sensed. Aggression, greed even, seemed to ooze through that doorway. There were claw tracks gouged into the hallway, signs that it wasn't merely normal fighters that stepped through these doors. The sounds echoing around him were harder to ignore. The chant, the cry for blood was loud.

They wanted gore.

They wanted to see someone fail.

Maybe he should have listened to Qui-Gon?

He stepped out into the arena finally and couldn't help squinting against the sudden sunlight. A feeling of support pushed against his mind and just like that his nerves started to fully melt away. Jango was watching. 

"And in this corner, a newcomer who has appeared out of nowhere. No idea where he hails from or why he is here- besides clearly wanting to shed some blood, but I am sure we are all curious to see how he fares in this fight! I present the Mysterious Stranger!"

And then the crowd bellowed in an extremely rabid way as one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...it is like I love cliffhangers. I am so sorry.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anger snapped across the bond.
> 
> He couldn’t fully move out of the way, but he managed to shift just enough that a large fist didn’t slam straight into his face. Instead, the fist glanced off the side of his head, and it still hurt more than a training saber biting into his face. The impact caused him to see stars as he stumbled backward. There was a ringing in his ears that almost deafened the violent roar of the crowd as he swayed for a second. He tasted singed metal and a mixture of liquid anger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Float like a butterfly, sting like a BAMF bee.

Tome'tayl [TOH-meh-TAYL]  
 _memory_

\---

_Frustration thrummed in his veins while sweat trickled down his face. There was a faint burning at the corners of his eyes and he didn't know if it was tears or the sweat. Bruck sneered as he advanced again, practice saber slicing through the air. There was anger in those blue eyes that threatened to lash the flesh from his bones. Obi-Wan brought his own blade up in a sloppy defense and was hardly surprised when the Initiate cheated. A foot into his knee and down he went._

_Tripping over his own feet yet again._

_“Pathetic, Oafy-Wan! You’ll probably even fail at being a farmer! No one wants you, even your parents gave you up-”_

_Obi-Wan felt his emotions churn inside of him as he lost control. He only noticed when Quin was pulling him off of Bruck, trying to hold him back as he kept trying to get one last strike in, one last hit to prove he wasn’t no one- he was someone!_

_“Obes,” the older padawan tried to break through to him. “This isn’t going to end how you remember.”_

_Bruck was laughing._

_Bruck was always laughing before he started to scream in terror as the floor vanished into an abyss._

_Obi-Wan was screaming as he tried to save his tormentor, to pull him back-_

He shook the twisted memory free and could feel the mild question across the bond. Ah, he had been lost in a trance of sorts as the game master announced his opponent. Reassurance was shoved roughly across the bond in an extremely impatient manner and he swore he heard Jango’s laughter inside of his head at the action. 

There was a sort of silence that came from the endless roaring of bloodlust, no wonder he had slipped so easily into his trance. Obi-Wan could feel the silence sweeping over him as he sized up the Lasat at the other side of the arena. Neither of them was moving, both of them were gauging the other. The crowd was near chanting and at some point, he had just ignored the distraction. All he could hear was the wind whipping the sand around his boots and the overly loud beating of his own heart. A drumbeat, a reminder he was alive. 

He had to fight the purple-hued giant. 

He had to survive. 

Violence was so unnecessary and completely required.

Obi-Wan finally dropped into a defensive position, feet spread wide and his hands raised up in fists and something seemed to silence the crowd. The Lasat let out a sound rather like a snarl and he felt it vibrate down to his bones. Jango was oddly calm for the moment inside their bond, but he had a feeling that would change as the fight progressed. He could hear the Mand’alor barking orders in the cargo bay as he traded blows with yet another of Jango’s friends inside of his mind and that made him smile. Oh, wrong move it seemed because suddenly the Lasat was hurtling towards him. They were huge and he had the very inappropriate thought that the fur was a lovely shade of violet. He leaned backward, balancing on the pads of his feet, as a hand swept through where his head had been a mere second before. His eyes widened as the roaring around him got louder. He twisted and spun out of reach, sand kicking up around them both as his opponent moved to attack again. 

Jaster would have told him to use advantages, fight dirty. Qui-Gon would have told him to find another way.

It was a dance of him trying to keep three steps out of reach, nearly getting his face ripped off a couple of times when he was just a hair too slow. Jango was growing agitated in his mind. The dance had gone on for what appeared to be longer then his opponent liked, he could feel the annoyance all around him and he narrowed his eyes just a smidge.

“Coward,” the Lasat snarled. “Fight me and stop toying with me.”

Well, that certainly wasn't what he had been expecting to hear and he faltered. Obi-Wan felt the toe of one boot snag against the heel of the other and his eyes widened as he realized he was going to fall. Oafy-Wan Kenobi, the boy who had been sent packing from the Order because he had failed at everything was making an appearance at a most horrible time. He felt a cold blast of salty air that threatened to distract him, to yank him further back into the memories that were picking now of all times to bubble up. No, it was an illusion of his mind and he wasn’t Oafy-Wan, he hadn’t been him in years. He was Obi-Wan Kenobi and he wouldn’t let some arena or his memories get the best of him, not when he had so much to protect. His back hit the ground and he bounced right back with a punch already lined up. His fist hit hard and he knew his mistake instantly. 

Anger snapped across the bond.

He couldn’t fully move out of the way, but he managed to shift just enough that a large fist didn’t slam straight into his face. Instead, the fist glanced off the side of his head, and it still hurt more than a training saber biting into his face. The impact caused him to see stars as he stumbled backward. There was a ringing in his ears that almost deafened the violent roar of the crowd as he swayed for a second. He tasted singed metal and a mixture of liquid anger. Obi-Wan spit blood out of his mouth as he grinned hard before he threw shields up around both bonds. He’d get an earful later, but right now, he wanted to knock the smug look off of the Lasat’s face, and he didn't care that it was a very unJedi like thought.

“Alright, since you insist,” he said cheerfully as he went from the defensive and straight into the attack. He moved quickly, letting the Force aid his steps just a bit, and simply let his mind go blank. There was no thinking in this fight, merely feeling. He moved when he felt like it, striking at openings and dancing away when need be. The Lasat was growing slower, more rash, as the fight dragged on, and the crowd was like an ocean of emotion. Everything washed over him like a wave, and he kept one simple thought in his mind. _He was going to free slaves._ Anakin would never feel the cold embrace of a collar like he had or the cruel hollow feeling. He would give them the chance to do as they wished, even if he already knew somehow they’d be going with them. He knew this like he knew he wouldn’t lose the fight.

The Force wanted this.

He managed to get behind the much larger opponent and jumped high so he could wrap his arms around the strong neck. The roar of annoyance was actually terrifying and he clung on harder as the Lasat tried to throw him free. His arms kept tightening as he pushed the suggestion of sleep on his opponent. No one had said use of the Force was forbidden, actually they hadn’t mentioned it at all. There had hardly been any rules at all so he wasn’t cheating...exactly. Obi-Wan was merely doing as the Mand'alor had taught him. He was fighting dirty. He winced as sharp nails bit into his forearms, drawing blood, but he didn’t let go as he did his best to make the reigning champ pass out. 

“Please,” he winced as another welt of red appeared on his forearm. “Just pass the kriff out!” He pulled his head back a tad awkwardly and threw all of his weight into a very messy headbutt. His forehead connected with the back of the other’s head. Oh, kriff, his eyebrow had split, and he could feel the hot blood trying to blind him. There was a moment of silence, and then the Lasat stumbled forward a step and then another. Obi-Wan didn’t have time to fully let go as the giant fell to the ground, so he simply prayed he wasn’t about to break an arm. He'd certainly never hear the end of it if he actually broke bones. There was a faint cracking sound that filled his ears, but no pain followed. He had most likely broken the other's nose. Well, better the Lasat's than his own. He shakily released his grip before shoving himself off the back of his fallen opponent. He took a moment to find his footing while he tried to believe he had won.

Silence, actually silence filled the arena in an unsettling way. He pushed sweaty hair off of his forehead, smearing blood as he did, and flashed a grin towards Jango and the others. Master Windu was fixing him with a look he couldn't quite decipher and Obi-Wan wasn’t sure what possessed him, but he gave the Council member a thumbs up. The crowd erupted.

°

"Ow," the annoying redhead snapped as he jerked back from Jango's fingers. He gave his soulmate a very unimpressed look before turning to pick Boba up off the floor. Obi-Wan couldn't fight him on the first aid if he had a lap full of baby. The second he dropped the squirming child into the near jetii's lap he earned a glare. "I know you are just using Boba against me."

"And it is working," he pointed out smugly as he went back to inspecting the nasty marks on Obi-Wan's left arm. The right arm had fared a bit better and was already covered in bacta patches, but the left had taken far more of the abuse. He smirked as he was subjected to a look of annoyance, but no further argument. It was working. Boba babbled on as if he was having a conversation and Obi-Wan actually responded now and then, clearly ignoring Jango now as he focused on the baby. 

He wanted nothing more than to force his fighter to go sleep, but he knew that wouldn't happen anytime soon. Buir was freeing Shmi and Anakin and that meant Obi-Wan wasn't going to rest until they were safely on the ship. He pursed his lips as he slapped a bacta patch over a particularly nasty scratch and raised an unimpressed eyebrow when he got kicked lightly. "You are a horrible patient," he pointed out in an annoyed tone. 

"You're a bad healer," Obi-Wan shot back while Boba flailed his fists in the air so it almost looked like he was agreeing. "See? Even Boba is on my side!"

"Padawan," Master Windu said in a level tone as he stepped into the room carefully. "You would heal faster if you let Jango finish applying the bacta." Jango watched with mild amusement as the tips of his soulmates ears turned red with embarrassment. 

"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan said softly and Jango felt the amusement die. He picked up a cloth to dab at the split brow as he refused to acknowledge the jetii. He didn't understand why his soulmate tended to shrink into himself when one of the older ones said something. 

"You did well today, but I think it might be best if we did not share the recording with your Master," Mace crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned in to inspect the job Jango had completed so far. "He is still pouting."

"Master?" Jango's lips twitched at how shocked Obi-Wan sounded. He brushed sand away in a not quite gentle manner and snorted at the annoyed feeling in the bond. Ah, there was the fire coming back. 

"Qui-Gon is still get used to you being a tad more...reckless. He is currently on a call with his old Master. That aside, I think it may be time we both join in on the training sessions. Today has only proven that we must learn to rely on more then our lightsabers." Mace flicked Boba in the nose and the baby crowed with laughter. 

Jango bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from saying something wrong. He simply focused on closing the split on Obi-Wan's face. Obi-Wan flashed a tight smile to Master Windu and began to nod, instantly regretting doing so as Jango began to swear colorfully. Mace burst out laughing and somewhere along the way Obi-Wan ended up actually smiling in a way that caused Jango's heart to stutter.

°

The ship wasn't exactly cold, but it wasn't what she was used to at all. She set the woven basket of their meager belongings down and bit back tears.

Free.

Those strange boys that reminded her of the stories of old had actually pulled it off. Obi-Wan had seemed so innocent, but she had known better. Deadly creatures tended to come in bright colors as a warning, and the boy had looked like there was a halo of fire around his head when he had stepped out into that arena. She had known then that they would not stay slaves, not when a creature of such power had smiled so sweetly. 

"Ani, don't climb on that," she ordered softly as Jaster walked up behind her. Shmi tensed slightly but finally relaxed so her back was against his chest. 

"Let him explore, anything dangerous was hidden ages ago thanks to the twins," he said with a soft smile as he rested his hands on her shoulders. "Let him have this moment. Traveling with us isn't going to be easy, there is still time-"

"No," she cut him off with a bit more force than she meant, but she didn't apologize. "No. We will go with you, we were meant to, Jaster. Ani… he is drawn to Obi-Wan and I think this is just how it is meant to be." Jaster sighed faintly before reassuringly squeezing her shoulders. 

"We aren't leaving immediately. Myles is moving in with Heddurk and will help you and Anakin get settled in your room. You need to rest and drink something," his voice left no room for arguments. "And perhaps eat something, set a good example for Ob'ika since he is going to say he isn't hungry after dealing with all that bacta."

Shmi stayed silent for a moment while thinking over what Jaster was saying. She hadn't known Obi-Wan long, but she somehow believed he did need to be reminded to eat. She pursed her lips before finally nodding. 

"Mand'alor," she said as she twisted slightly to look up at him. "You do know you just gave me free rein to mother Obi-Wan, yes?"

Jaster grinned as mischief sparked in his eyes. "Oh, no, my dear desert flower, you have permission to mother them all."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are moving right along. What will happen next???   
> Seriously though, I am so glad you are all enjoying this story <3 
> 
> I love interacting with all of you, here and on tumblr. I am still blown away that so many people are into this sitcom I've written. T_T I have feels, people, so many feels. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He cast a look at the spectators in the room and wasn't surprised to see his own buir relaxing on the couch with a mug of caf, a smug look on his face. Shmi was sitting close to him and looked like she was doing her best to keep peeling some sort of bean while also listening. Quinlan wasn't even hiding the fact he was practically draped over Master Windu's side while he eavesdropped. Master Windu, for his part, looked like he had just been presented with the most interesting thing in the galaxy. Well, Jango mused, it was hard to not eavesdrop when his di'kut and Master Jinn had picked their battlefield as the middle of the common area.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER FREAKING 20.  
> Listen, this was a post on tumblr where I was just spewing ideas into the internet. Somehow... people found it and now here we freaking are. I never expected that so many people would like these dumbasses and their sitcom adventure, but I am amazingly happy.
> 
> I love you all. Without all of you there wouldn't be this creation.
> 
> This chapter is more fluff then anything and you may have seem bits on tumblr, but I still hope you enjoy!!!

utyc [OO-teesh]  
_slimy_

\---

"Here, watch these," Jango practically shoved a horde of ade into the room. Myles looked up from his datapad with a slightly confused look on his face. "Obi is in an argument with the hermit, so babysit." He didn't wait for his friend to agree before he was rushing off. He was part way down the hall when he realized Heddurk had been passed out on the bed instead of doing his lesson modules. It appeared they were all in a disobeying mood so soon after the arena fight. Well, he wasn't going to rat the boy out, at least not today. The voices that were carrying down the hall were more important and he could feel the agitation coming off his soulmate. When he stumbled into the common area he couldn't quite help the flinch that escaped him. Obi-Wan was standing with his feet spread wide and his arms crossed over his chest, defiant, and the hermit looked like he had eaten something sour. That wasn't good.

He cast a look at the spectators in the room and wasn't surprised to see his own buir relaxing on the couch with a mug of caf, a smug look on his face. Shmi was sitting close to him and looked like she was doing her best to keep peeling some sort of bean while also listening. Quinlan wasn't even hiding the fact he was practically draped over Master Windu's side while he eavesdropped. Master Windu, for his part, looked like he had just been presented with the most interesting thing in the galaxy. Well, Jango mused, it was hard to not eavesdrop when his di'kut and Master Jinn had picked their battlefield as the middle of the common area.

"And as I have said, Master," Obi-Wan's voice was shockingly calm sounding and Jango was impressed; if he didn't have a storm of hurt and agitation bouncing across their bond he wouldn't have even been aware of the turmoil inside his other half. "I am perfectly fine. The injuries I sustained are hardly dampening my use of the Force. I _can_ open the box."

"And as I have stated, young one, it would be wise to rest some more before you _attempt_ to open that box." Jango felt annoyance at actually agreeing with the man he often wanted to forget existed. Qui-Gon had a valid point, Obi-Wan needed more rest after battling a Lasat. He moved silently until he was behind his soulmate and simply leaned forward so he could rest his chin on a shoulder. Annoyed amusement pinched his mind, he grinned hard and enjoyed how Master Jinn looked extremely displeased. Good, the hermit could suffer.

"I need to check your bandages," he breathed out next to Obi-Wan's ear. The reaction was instant, the ear tip turned red and he could feel the confusing wanting across the bond. Kriff, that gave him ideas and also annoyed him slightly. Obi-Wan was painfully clueless about a lot of things and he was starting to think it was some miracle that they had even kissed. "You can bicker later."

"I'm not bickering," Obi-Wan grumbled faintly before relaxing backward into him. Jango didn't waste a second of the gifted moment and wrapped his arms around the other's waist. His soulmate was bickering and being stubborn, but he couldn't fault him any. He, personally, always wanted to bicker with Qui-Gon Jinn. 

"Boys," Shmi's soft voice filled the space, almost uncertain at first, but grew more confident as his buir gave her a nod. Well, that was interesting. The idea those two were involved was becoming far more solid in his head, damn Kenobi for suggesting it the other day. "Go look to his injuries and then rest. You may not be toddlers anymore, but that much activity in the sun leaves an exhaustion inside the bones." 

"Buir," Jango couldn't help giving Jaster a look of annoyance. 

"You heard the woman. Go take a nap, I'm sure we can find some toy for you to snuggle, Jan'ika," Jaster threw his arm out along the back of the couch behind Shmi and Jango got the message loud and clear. What Shmi said was clearly meant to be obeyed. That was a development he wasn't thrilled with, but he knew enough not to argue. He'd talk to his buir later about whether or not he was somehow getting a second parent after all these years after he got his soulmate to rest without all the ade around. He had nothing against Shmi, he just didn't know enough about her.

"I'm sure Obes would _loooove_ to cuddle," Quinlan called out and laughed while dodging Mace's hand. The Master still managed to cuff him behind the ear, but that did nothing to dispel the mirth spilling from Obi-Wan's friend. 

The air was thick with a strange mixture of tense and amusement.

Chaotic. 

Jango met Qui-Gon's gaze and purposefully pressed a kiss to Obi-Wan's cheek. A challenge, a claim. His soulmate sighed when he realized the affection was being used as a weapon to most likely annoy his Master, but he didn't pull away. Qui-Gon, unsurprisingly, looked like someone had just switched all his caf for oil, Jango felt immensely smug. 

"Jan'ika, Ob'ika, what were you just told?"

Jango burst out laughing as he began to yank to his stubborn soulmate back towards their room. "We are going, buir, we are going!" Obi-Wan simply let out another sigh while allowing himself to be dragged from the room. They were joined at the hand, fingers tangled together, and Jango felt content. There was so much they needed to do, mysteries to rip apart, but that was all something that could be dealt with another day.

°

Everything felt like it was broiling, which should hardly be a surprise on a planet like Tatooine, but the ship was supposed to have some semblance of environmental control. The mass amount of heat was problematic. Heddurk had the fleeting thought he was going to have to check the coolant lines before Myles started dropping passive aggressive hints that he would miss right up until his friend told him point blank to fix something. He groaned as he tried to wake himself up from his nap and realized, a tad belatedly, he couldn't quite move.

What?

He cracked his eyes open to sort out why he couldn't move and found himself not really comprehending what he saw. There was a pile of ade on him.

Children that were usually clinging to a certain feral loth-cat.

"Wha-"

Myles snorted from where he was lounging, a leg resting over the arm of the chair while he slouched in a way Jaster would have disapproved of, and he glanced up from the blaster he was cleaning. "They thought you looked lonely and I didn't want a nap."

Heddurk blinked. They thought he looked lonely? "But they normally stick to Kenobi," he tried to keep his voice at a reasonable volume so as to not wake the pile of ade. That would be disastrous. Sometimes he didn't realize how loud he was talking due to something Myles affectionately referred to as 'a lack of volume control when excited' and it wasn't like his friend was wrong. He sometimes had to be told to use an indoor voice when he was rambling about his latest project. Clearly, this was the wrong time not to focus on controlling his volume. 

"And now they are our problem for the moment, also Boba is drooling on your pillow."

Heddurk sighed as he shifted his head just enough to see that, yes, Boba was creating a puddle of spit on his poor pillow. "...can't we just give them back?"

"And have Jango shoot at me? Pass. We are only playing nursemaid for the evening, vod. You'll survive."

°

"Master?" Qui-Gon glanced up from shoving a scarf into his knapsack and spotted Obi-Wan standing in the doorway rather like a lost tooka.

"Yes, little one?" He straightened as he beckoned his padawan further into the room with a hand. Obi-Wan pushed away from the doorway and went straight to his side. He smiled fondly down at the boy before resting a hand on top of the near unruly hair. "You need a haircut." Obi-Wan rolled his eyes at the remark but did nothing to shove the hand away. They both knew he was growing it longer so it could all be safely yanked into a nerftail; where it would be out of reach from Boba's grabby hands. 

"Are you leaving," the question came a tad forlornly and Qui-Gon frowned. He brought both of his hands down so they rested on Obi-Wan's shoulders in an attempt of comfort.

"Master Windu and I have been given a mission. The Mand'alor is not looking to leave this planet quite yet and since our mission is here… we did not turn the Council down."

"Then should I-" 

"Obi-Wan, you aren't coming with. You are better suited here for the moment and, need I remind you, you are supposed to be taking it easy. Stay, spend time with your...family." The boy winced and Qui-Gon bit back a sigh at his blunder. He had not kept the displeasure of the situation out of his voice. Mace enjoyed giving him smug looks about the fact Obi-Wan had managed to amass such a large family purely by accident, but he worried the Council, outside of Mace; would react poorly. Obi-Wan was so close to becoming a Knight, with a bit more training, and it wouldn't be fair to either of them if the children were the cause of him never advancing. "Obi-Wan, listen to me," he ordered softly. "I know I have not exactly adapted to this, but I am not mad at you. Frustrated, yes. You haven't backed down once and you continue to help others." He moved just enough to cup one of his padawan's cheeks in the palm of his hand. "I am proud of you, I am just not the best at showing it. You know this."

Emotions warred in Obi-Wan's eyes, causing the color to deepen and almost swirl slightly. He seemed to be thinking everything over before he finally gave a faint nod. Ah, good, Qui-Gon relaxed a fraction. "I know, Master, and I haven't exactly been making any of this easy on you. I'll be here when you return from your mission. And… I suppose I will rest as ordered." 

"That is all I ask."

°

Heddurk narrowed his eyes at the suspect food on his plate. The wrinkly green things did not look appetizing, something the ade also seemed to be in agreement about, and he wondered if he could just somehow sneak the stuff onto Myles' plate. Taste was hardly an issue, but the texture? The stuff just looked slimy!

He cast a look towards his Mand'alor and merely received a faint smirk. Jaster took a large mouthful of the limp greens and made a show of chewing. Gross. Heddurk made a face before turning his attention back to the plate. 

"But why does it look so wet," he finally blurted out. Ob'ika snorted hard into his cup of blue milk, not even attempting to hide his amusement, while Jango actually laughed. Quinlan pointed a fork at him with a nod, clearly agreeing with the question.

Shmi placed a hand on her hip and gave him a look even he could decipher as being unimpressed with his remark. "It is oil, it isn't going to hurt you!"

"It might," Cody grumbled as he pushed the greens away from the meat on his plate. Shmi narrowed her eyes at Heddurk as if he was the one at fault. Jaster shot a look at Obi-Wan, who for his part looked resigned.

"Eat them," Jango's soulmate said in a perfectly pleasant voice. "Shmi went to the troub-"

"Don't think I can't see them shoved under the tubers on your plate," Quinlan took great glee in throwing his friend into the line of crossfire. Obi-Wan lunged at him, only to be stopped by Jango grabbing him by the waist. Chaos erupted at the table and Heddurk simply frowned. Normally, he would have joined in, but the greens were bothering him.

"But they are wet!" 

Shmi slapped a hand down on the table and everyone froze in place, which was rather comical to see. Obi-Wan had his hands on the front of Quinlan's shirt while the other was trying to lean away, and Jango had a strong grip on the back of Kenobi's neck. "There are starving children that would be happy to eat these, now eat them, please. We do not waste things." Oh, now he felt a little guilty. 

"Well, maybe we could just ship them to-" Myles actually started to offer up and stopped when Jaster grabbed him roughly by the back of the neck. The suggestion dead before arrival.

"You will all eat the food Shmi has so kindly prepared and then you are all going to hand over all of your weapons. Grounded, five days. Am I clear?" The groans around the table were loud and Heddurk cursed the stupid greens on his plate. Getting grounded was the worst! Jaster would give all the hunting to Zhiaa and Dez and that was unfair. 

"Did we stop by at a bad time," Zhiaa asked while stopping in the doorway, Heddurk could spot Dez looking over her shoulder. Had his thought summoned them? "We can come back, Alor."

Jaster pointed a fork at them and then pointed with the same fork at the two empty spots at the table. They both nodded and moved to sit down at the crowded table. Heddurk was thankful the jetiise had left to go do something else, he wasn't positive he could handle more going on around him while he tried not to eat his greens. 

"Boba," Obi-Wan cried out suddenly. The small baby had decided to try and grab at Rex's plate while everyone was distracted. The sound of cutlery and the plate sliding off the table was grating, but Heddurk felt confused for a mere second when it all didn't just crash against the floor. They were floating in the air. They just sort of settled themselves back on the table, perfectly out of Boba's reach. Rex clapped loudly and everyone cast a look at Obi-Wan. The feral loth-cat shrank back into Jango's side before lowering his outstretched hand. "...I didn't want to clean up that mess," he finally grumbled. Heddurk actually thought that made a lot of sense, cleaning up all those greens would have taken forever. 

"Ob'ika," the Mand'alor drawled out in a way that sent everyone tensing. "I believe you just volunteered for clean up duty. Jan'ika, you can help the ade get ready for bed." Jango opened his mouth to argue but was interrupted by the newest child. Anakin slapped his hands on the table hard enough that his cutlery bounced. 

"Nooooo. Obi! Obi story!!!"

Heddurk cursed the greens on his plate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAAAHHHHHHH! CHAPTER 20.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It itches,” he grumbled and lowered his hand as ordered. Jango decided he wasn’t moving fast enough because he batted Obi-Wan’s hand out of the air and to the side. He gave the Mandalorian a glare before moving the slighted hand to snag the edge of Jango’s shirt. He stayed silent while the other cracked open a medpac. Faint guilt coursed through him, and he almost voiced it, but a simple look from his soulmate had him changing his mind. They were wasting the bacta on his burns, he thought rebelliously. The pungent stench of bacta filled the area thanks to the cap being removed from a tube of the stuff. He flinched as the shockingly cold ointment was slathered over his burned flesh. The relief was instant, but Force, his eyes were watering. “It is invading my nose!”
> 
> Jango snorted hard as he recapped the tube of bacta. “You are taking after our kids,” he drawled out. “So dramatic.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And as promised, I have a chapter for this lovely story too!  
> Please...uh, enjoy?

Trikar [TREE-kar]  
 _sadness_

\----

Things on the ship were calm for the moment, and that somehow made it harder to ignore his problems. He clenched his fingers against his thighs as he stared at a mug of tea on the small table near the couch. The children were out with Jaster and Shmi, something about getting a treat and gathering up more supplies before they took off again. He didn’t think they were going to be leaving any time soon, not with the Jedi Masters still not back, but he couldn’t help hoping to leave this dustball of a planet soon. Tatooine was giving him all sorts of issues. Holos of his fight were still displayed around town, and people recognized him. The number of challenges he had gotten was the least of his worries, even if the amount of them had caused Jaster to ground him to the ship. If he wasn’t out, wandering the city, he couldn’t be challenged. The furthest he was allowed to travel at the moment was inside the hangar, which had an open ceiling. He was far more concerned about the twin suns that beat down on him when he was sitting in the hangar, trying to read. Those orbs of hatred were determined to make his life as uncomfortable.

His nose felt like it was splitting across the bridge, and he had to resist the urge to rub at the irritated skin. Obi-Wan didn’t dare bring up his pale complexion again because the first time he did, Jaster had mentioned a helmet, Jango had looked thrilled by the suggestion. He didn’t want a helmet, he didn’t want armor, he was content with what he normally wore. It would be great if the Mandalorians stopped suggesting armor with clear glee. He merely didn’t enjoy the sunburns he kept getting while they stayed on Tatooine, which had nothing to do with armor. Some people darkened with exposure to the blistering hot sunlight, but he turned various agonizing shades of red, which was a bunch of bantha poodoo. 

“Stop scratching it,” Jango snapped from the doorway, and Obi-Wan froze. Oh, kriff, he had been rubbing the side of his nose without realizing what he was doing while he thought.

“It itches,” he grumbled and lowered his hand as ordered. Jango decided he wasn’t moving fast enough because he batted Obi-Wan’s hand out of the air and to the side. He gave the Mandalorian a glare before moving the slighted hand to snag the edge of Jango’s shirt. He stayed silent while the other cracked open a medpac. Faint guilt coursed through him, and he almost voiced it, but a simple look from his soulmate had him changing his mind. They were wasting the bacta on his burns, he thought rebelliously. The pungent stench of bacta filled the area thanks to the cap being removed from a tube of the stuff. He flinched as the shockingly cold ointment was slathered over his burned flesh. The relief was instant, but Force, his eyes were watering. “It is invading my nose!”

Jango snorted hard as he recapped the tube of bacta. “You are taking after our kids,” he drawled out. “So dramatic.”

 _Our kids._

Obi-Wan didn’t know how to handle the strange jolt that went through his heart when he heard that phrase. He had run as fast as he could across the stars, had slammed every door he could to keep that distance, and now he didn't know how he had done that. Jango, while a tad violent and short-tempered, was somehow the person he actually wanted by his side. He felt content for the first time in a long time, and the Force just seemed to be a soft warmness in his bones now. He was happy. He had children with Jango and, really, that wasn’t that strange. Both of their cultures were big on adoption from what he could tell. 

“Are Master Jinn and Master Windu back,” he changed the subject abruptly. Jango simply narrowed his eyes before shaking his head. “Ah, I was hoping they’d be back soon…”

“Because of your Life Day,” Jango asked in an off-handed manner as he went about repacking the medpac. Obi-Wan hummed his agreement and then froze. The words finally seemed to click in his mind, and a faint feeling of unease settled there. Jango’s hands stilled in their motions, and they both slowly looked at each other. Guilt flashed hard across the bond, and Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes in suspicion. He hadn’t told his soulmate about the date of his birth, and he highly doubted Quinlan had ratted him out.

“Jango,” he drew out slowly. “How did you know my Life Day is coming up?” The silence that answered him was not good, and he shifted a hand so he could press his palm over Jango’s heart. “What did you do? I didn’t tell you when I was born.”

“It is...in your file,” Jango finally bit out as faint shame filtered into his mind. His file? An eyebrow inched upward as he tried to figure out what file. Then, like a large rancor stampeding into his mind, it hit him. Jango had his file from the Temple! There was no way the Jedi would have handed that over, which meant- He jumped off the couch and easily spun just out of his soulmate’s reach. His boots clanged loudly against the ship’s floor as he ran down the short hall towards the cargo hold where he knew Heddurk was. “Obes,” Jango snapped as he ran after him, doing his best to keep up. A hand grabbed the back of his shirt just as he tumbled through the door to the cargo hold. The younger Mandalorian looked up from where he was cleaning his sniper rifle and looked thoroughly confused.

“Where is it,” Obi-Wan felt like the words were ripped from his mouth.

“What-”

“The file, vod,” Jango wrapped his arms around Obi-Wan’s waist, restraining him. “He knows.” He debated wrenching himself free, but the fact Jango’s arms were trembling slightly had him staying. He knew he had run, had put as much of the galaxy as he could between himself and Jango, hadn’t even given the man his name, but that didn’t mean they should have treated him like a bounty! He wasn’t oblivious. He knew what they did to get their jobs done, and yet it hurt to think someone had seen every single one of his failures as cold data. Obi-Wan was lucky to even still be in the Order at this point as far as he was concerned. 

Had they read about how he was emotional, headstrong, and not a good fit to be a Jedi? 

Did Jango know that he had been a mining slave for a short bit? 

Did his file mention how he was the reason she had died? 

It felt like his soul was being forced out into the open. 

Heddurk blanched before setting his rifle down before yanking open the knapsack that was sitting next to him. He fished around for a moment before pulling the datapad free. “Here-”

“How much did you read,” Obi-Wan elbowed Jango in the side and got a grunt as a reply. “How much do you know about me without me telling you? How much of my life did you dissect? I wasn’t some prey to hunt down! You had no right.”

“It isn’t like that! You ran, and I wanted to track you down. I didn’t read it! You are my soulmate, di’kut, and you ran! I needed some framework to make a plan to find you.” Jango was bleeding concern and guilt into the bond, but Obi-Wan could taste the sincerity on his tongue. Jango hadn’t violated his privacy but had also known when his Life Day was somehow. Some of his fears were dying down, but he still felt violated. There was anger simmering just under his skin, threatening to spill out, and it felt like Jango’s emotions were answering his. They were feeding off of each other, which wasn’t a good thing, and then Heddurk raised his free hand a tad awkwardly before pointing to himself. 

“I read some of it, but then you commed, and I never got back to reading the rest. I told Jango-” Heddurk turned a shade of ashen as the datapad was ripped from his hand suddenly with the Force. The object seemed to pulse in the air between them a moment before it was ripped apart in a ghastly display of power. Obi-Wan was shaking against Jango, his hand now a fist in front of him as he stared in horror at what he had done. That was a wanton abuse of the Force. He had let his temper get the best of him again. Master Jinn would be so disappointed. Jango caught his fist with a hand while Heddurk just stared at the pile of sparks and electronics on the cargo hold floor. Then, as if the day wasn’t strange enough, the faint hiss of an atmospheric seal breaking filled the space. On the shelf, behind some netting, the box they had rescued on Dantooine was sliding open. Fog seemed to cascade over the sides, and no one dared move.

His eyes rolled back in his head. 

Jango swore loudly as Obi-Wan suddenly slumped in his arms like dead weight. Heddurk was already scrambling to grab his comm, stepping over the pile of broken datapad to offer up his knapsack as an impromptu pillow. Jango nodded while carefully lowering Kenobi to the cargo hold floor. He didn’t know what had just happened, but he did know he was terrified. The box was like a presence against the edges of his mind, and he knew it had to be from Obi-Wan. He was getting the leftover sensation of whatever his soulmate was experiencing. He carefully moved the knapsack under the other’s head and cast a look up at his friend. 

“Call buir. Something is wrong.” 

He leaned over the fallen jetii and pressed their foreheads together. The anger and hurt that had been crackling around them was gone, and now all he felt was a faint coldness. He should have told Obi-Wan about the file, but he had sort of pushed the existence of the thing to the back of his mind. He hadn’t realized the thing would come back to haunt him so strongly. He had been a fool after first forming the bond and hadn’t even thought how something like that could have hurt Obi-Wan. He closed his eyes and just let his breathing match up with Obi-Wan’s. Heddurk was leaving the cargo hold, most likely to get Myles, and he wondered if they should try to find the hermit and Windu. This was clearly some space wizard nonsense, and they would know what to do, maybe. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he whispered while trying to shove as much affection as he could into the bond. He knew the emotion was tangled up in worry, but he couldn’t exactly separate the two at the moment, not while Obi-Wan was just out of his reach in the bond. 

“Move, come on, let’s get him elsewhere,” Myles kicked him before crouching down to slip one of Obi-Wan’s arms across his shoulders. Jango followed suit, and the two stood up at the same time, motion fluid from the amount of times they had performed this exact action. “What even happened? Heddurk just said you needed me.” 

“I don’t know. I karked up, then he lost his temper, and I just don’t know,” Jango snapped as they carried Obi-Wan back to their room. He scowled as he kicked some wooden toy ships out of the way. The twins really needed to learn to pick up after themselves; he thought crossly. He knew he wasn’t mad at them. He was just mad at the whole situation. Why did Obi-Wan keep doing things that left him with his heart-stopping? The twins, and Anakin, were going to be upset if they got back to the ship, and their favorite person was out cold. He helped Myles get Kenobi into the bed, though they both had to remove a few plush toys that were buried under the blankets. Where had these all come from? He paused in throwing a stuffed tooka toy and settled on just placing it safely under one of Obi-Wan’s arms. 

“Go secure the box in the hold,” he ordered Myles. “Heddurk is trying to reach buir. I’ll stand guard here.” He pushed a few stray strands of hair away from his soulmate’s cheek and felt a faint pang of worry. A hand gripped his shoulder for a moment before the sound of Myles, leaving filled the room. Jango sank down onto the edge of the bed and rested his elbows on his knees as he hid his face in his hands. 

He shouldn’t have brought up the coming Life Day. 

They had finally been so happy together. Obi-Wan had developed this smile that was just meant for him, the type that Jango knew he would do anything to see again. His hands shook faintly while his heart seemed to spasm. The person laying in the bed had to wake up again. He needed him to because he had to tell him how he honestly felt. 

“Obi-Wan,” he started to say before tiny shouts filled the room.

“Buir!” 

“Buir!” 

Jango knelt quickly and caught the tiny flying bodies before they could crash into the edge of the bed. Cody was straining to get past him, while Rex was settling on hitting him with tiny fists. 

“He needs calm,” Jango stressed as he pulled the twins closer. Quinlan wasn’t that far behind them, with an oddly solemn-looking Boba in his arms. “Calm, okay? Can you do that for me?”

“Lek, buir,” Rex finally muttered after landing a decent hit on his jaw. That brat was going to grow up to be a dirty fighter; he felt oddly proud. Cody nodded his agreement, but still snagged a handful of blankets while he continued to stare at Obi-Wan. Jango pressed a cheek against one small head and then other before moving to help them climb up into the bed. 

“Quin,” Jango turned his attention to the jetii. “Can you help him?”

“I’ll die trying if need be,” the other said honestly. 

"Let's not hope it comes to that. I've started to hate you less," Jango said dryly and earned himself a smirk from Quinlan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry not sorry. Plot is happening.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He raised a hand towards his face and wasted no time securing the finger of his glove with his teeth. Quinlan yanked the barrier between himself and the world off his hand with a tug and spit the glove at Jango once it was free. Jango, naturally, punched him in the thigh. 
> 
> Kriff him.
> 
> This was about Obes and not about the soulmate that hadn't caught on the twins had finally called him buir. They were all going to have to unpack that later after Obi-Wan decided to wake up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here I am, offering up my apology for the last cliffhanger. I swear this one is less... angst. ヽ(ﾟДﾟ)ﾉ
> 
> PLEASE ENJOY.

Haatyc [HAH-teesh]  
 _visible_

\---

The adults weren't back yet. 

They were dealing with this on their own and he had the feeling Heddurk and Myles were making themselves scarce. 

Smart.

He wished he could make himself scarce.

He wasn't freaking out, Jedi didn't freak out. No, Quinlan was merely having a minor moment of overwhelming emotions while staring at his friend. Boba burbled some noise near his ear and he hummed in agreement. This whole thing was karked, the baby was right. (Okay, so maybe the kid couldn't talk, but surely that was what was meant.) His gaze flickered to Jango, who was doing his best not to go into a rage. The Mando had impressive control, but he could see the panic in those normally durasteel steady eyes. 

He pressed a kiss to Boba's curl hair before moving to Obi-Wan's side. The redhead looked oddly peaceful for once if one ignored the blaring sunburn, and Quin almost regretted having to try and pull him back to the land of the aware. Obi-Wan didn't sleep enough, even if he had been sleeping more now that he shared a bed with the kids and sometimes Jango. Quinlan would have teased him mercilessly about that if he hadn't spent every night on a cot next to the bed. They were like some weird little family where he was the eccentric uncle who never gave anyone space. 

"Alright, kiddo, let's wake your dad and my sunshine," he said softly to Boba. Boba let out a few sounds that he took as encouragement. His lips twitched in mild amusement, sometimes he thought the baby actually understood them. Babies were smart so Boba probably did, after all the kid seemed to adore him, which was a clear sign of intelligence if he ever saw one. He raised a hand towards his face and wasted no time securing the finger of his glove with his teeth. Quinlan yanked the barrier between himself and the world off his hand with a tug and spit the glove at Jango once it was free. Jango, naturally, punched him in the thigh. 

Kriff him.

This was about Obes and not about the soulmate that hadn't caught on the twins had finally called him buir. They were all going to have to unpack that later after Obi-Wan decided to wake up. Quinlan adjusted his grip on Boba even as he reached out to press his bare hand against his best friend's forehead. Peace slammed into him and he felt a spasm race through him. Something powerful, something unknown danced just outside his touch, but he didn't get the sense it meant Obes any harm. He did, however, sense that he wasn't invited to the party. Well, that was rude. "Hang on," he told Boba. "I want to use my other hand too. Crash this shindig." He set the baby down on Obi-Wan's chest so he could work at removing his second glove. Except, well, things did what they seemed to always do, they took a hard turn towards a karking disaster. Boba let out a determined sound and promptly passed out. 

Silence rang out. 

"Well, kri-" the air left his lungs as a body slammed into his side. The twins were screaming, Jango was trying to kill him, and Quinlan did his best to not die. Okay, maybe he wasn't actually being murdered, but he was taking the brunt of Jango's anger. "I didn't know that would- ow! Stop it, Obes wants me alive- JANGO!" Something hit his shoulder and something hit Jango's back. The twins had decided to hurl various objects at them. Force, the Mand'alor, and Shmi couldn't get back to the ship fast enough, he thought ruefully as he landed a punch against the Mandalorian that had just twisted his arm painfully. 

"You're upsetting your kids, _buir!_ " Quinlan let out a strangled sound as Jango practically yanked him sideways.

Obi-Wan really needed to wake up!

°

Her name was Revan and her smile hung new stars in the sky. He could see how a legion had followed her, but he could also see how the galaxy had feared her. She was darkness wrapped in light. Her hair seemed like it was made from the Living Force, her eyes shifted between a sea green and a molten ember with each new emotion she exuded. She was important. Personally? He just wanted to get this over with so he could go have a mug of tea.

"I didn't think you'd ever get around to opening the box," her voice seemed to dance across his mind as she smiled softly. 

"Ah, it was a bit of an accident," he admitted ruefully. "I was a tad distracted doing something else and it just sort of sprang open." A faint hum of understanding escaped her while she began to pace around the blank space. Obi-Wan settled more comfortably into his seated position, his legs under him, rather like he was about to meditate. "Am I to assume my physical body is rather indisposed at the moment?"

"A slight side effect, much like when you wake you won't remember this clearly. I'm sorry, truly, but I cannot give you a Force vision to keep this time," she swept an arm across the wall and it blossomed into a moving painting. The colors were harsh, jarring, but the subject was worse. A violent skirmish of some sort where Mandalorians and Jedi wearing various bits of armor were meeting nightmares in the middle of the image. He tensed, hands curling against his thighs, and he tried to keep his breathing steady.

That was unsettling. 

"Ah, you recognize the horror," Revan pressed a hand over a red blade while she frowned. "The crystals end up screaming in the hands of what I willingly became to save the Order. I Fell so the others wouldn't and they repaid the act with a truly unique punishment. In the end, I was unable to walk amongst the Light or the Dark, I walked a different path before corruption slowly started to set in again...my riduur wasn't around to pull me back." Another wave of the arm and the scene was changing, growing into something else entirely. The Mandalorians were being slaughtered at the hands of the Sith and something cold seemed to grow in his chest. Which of those was the present and which was the past?

"Not to be terribly rude, but why are you showing me these," he managed to say politely. Revan turned towards him and for a moment he thought he saw a Mandalorian helmet cover her face. The design was foreign, unknown, but it struck a chord inside his mind. White and red, imposing.

"Lessons, Padawan, lessons. I may not be the Master I was supposed to be, but I can still teach," she leaned against the painting while giving him an assessing look. "There is a reason you are bound to a Mando, you can handle the impending tempest-" The serious atmosphere took a hard left as Boba suddenly appeared out of thin air. Obi-Wan gaped for a moment before scrambling to catch his child. Revan looked startled and amused at the same time. "And who might this trespasser be?"

"Boba," he pushed some unruly curls away from his son's face and frowned down at him. "And I am not entirely sure how he managed to pull this off. Jango must be having a fit…" 

"He is delightful," Revan knelt down with a smile before pressing two fingers to Boba's forehead. The baby babbled in an extremely serious tone and a chuckle escaped the entity. "I was going to give him back, vod'ika. You needn't have come after him. You could have gotten trapped between." Boba blew a spit bubble to show just what he thought of that sentiment. Obi-Wan snorted with mild affection and did his best to clean spit off the boy's chin with his hand. Teething couldn't end fast enough. 

"Obi-Wan," Revan's tone turned serious and carried a new weight behind each word. He could feel the responsibility being shoved at him, like chains meant to stop him from running. "You will not Fall, not as I did, but you must figure out how much of the Path you will walk. War is trying to encroach on all you know, the dark twisted type, an illness that will corrupt the galaxy. I was not a Jedi or a Sith, in the end, I was a warrior that had to walk alone. Figure out who you will be before it is too late. What type of Jedi does the galaxy actually need?"

_What type of Jedi would he become?_

Obi-Wan let Boba play with his fingers while he thought that question over. A sort of calm settled over him like a shawl and then Boba bit down on his index finger. The shawl shuddered, before wrapping more securely around him. "Boba, please," thick affection danced among the normal lilt of his voice and his son responded by erupting in laughter. The chime-like sound filled the space and Revan cast them both a look of adoration and something else, something rather like pity. "I am not leaving the Order," he pursed his lips together into a line as he stared down the woman.

"Things shall not be easy for you, my dear child, but you have a family to rely on. They will be your shelter from the storm. You needn't leave the Order, but they will be slower to adjust to what is needed. Go, go and walk a new path," Revan pressed a hand to Obi-Wan's forehead and the Force went silent. "I will watch over you as best I can, my son."

Everything vanished. 

The Force brushed up against his mind like a loth-cat greeting a lost friend. Reassuring and welcoming. He couldn't quite remember what he dreamt, but he knew time would unfold the mystery in front of him like a story. Obi-Wan worried more about the noise that was yanking him from sleep. The raised voices were oddly comforting. Normal, safe, _family._ When he finally opened his eyes he had a moment of wishing he hadn't. Quinlan was swearing loudly while Jango had him in a crude headlock, Rex and Cody were throwing various tiny wooden toys at the two, and Boba was sitting on his chest with a solemn look on his tiny features. "We should have stayed asleep longer, no?" Boba hiccuped with a laugh before toppling forward to plant a very loud kiss against his chin. 

"Cyare," Jango cried out while releasing Quinlan, who stumbled to the point of almost falling to his knees. The twins stopped their attack and spun to chase after the older Mandalorian.

"Buir!" "Buir!" 

"Kriff," Quinlan wheezed out while rubbing at his neck. How long had this been going on?

He barely had time to shift Boba safely to his side before Jango was grabbing the front of his shirt. His eyes widened and then his soulmate crashed their lips together. Violent, desperate, an onslaught that left his head spinning. A storm erupted with the flavor of cinnamon while their tongues fought. Obi-Wan leaned into the kiss, trying to push reassurance into the bond as he wrapped his arms around Jango's shoulders. 

"Whoa there, we aren't there yet in our relationship," Quinlan drawled out and Obi-Wan jerked back from the kiss with a sheepish look on his face. Jango didn't even look ashamed, he merely shot an unamused look at Vos. The moment was further ruined by the twins squirming their way onto the bed, knees and elbows flying in a way that both soulmates ended up wincing a couple of times. 

"Funny," Obi-Wan grumbled as he let the twins curl up on either side of him while Boba ended back on his chest. Jango sat down on the edge of the bed, snagging Boba, and just looked oddly worried. He sent a question across the bond and only one impression came back. The file. His heart sank, but then the anger he had felt earlier didn't quite swell up again. He ran his fingers through Cody and Rex's hair while he thought. The argument replayed in his head while he inspected each moment. 

"Ah," he cleared his throat. "I shouldn't have lost my temper-" A laugh that sounded rather like a sob escaped Jango, causing Obi-Wan to stop talking. He glanced cautiously at his soulmate, waiting and watching. 

"Di'kut, don't apologize. I should have destroyed the file as soon as you called. Things just happened so fast and then… I forgot about it," Jango let his thumbs be trapped by Boba's hands and frowned. He bounced his legs slightly, causing the baby to jostle, and delighted laughter erupted from their son. Obi-Wan smiled softly while Quinlan settled into a seat position on the floor. 

"Jango," he tried again. "I am sorry."

Jango started to tense up, clearly ready to argue, but Quinlan decided to interject. "The twins called Jango buir!" Obi-Wan blinked before glancing at the children in question. Jango had gone oddly still, but he could feel the confusion, horror, joy, pride that slammed across the bond. Ah, Jango had malfunctioned. 

"Did they? About time, I suppose. Does this mean the bug war is over?"

°

He knew he should probably wait until both Jedi Masters got back from whatever their mission was, especially after the rather loud screaming match that had erupted in the common area. Jaster had been furious, dressing them all down to the point Obi-Wan had actually debated hiding behind Jango. That wasn't the part that had gotten him, no, the thing that had nearly broken him was the fact the Mand'alor had hugged him. A bone-crushing hug that made him sense just how worried he had made the older man. Jaster had hugged them all, leaving Quinlan just as perplexed, but then Shmi had made it worse. She had made them all a spiced hot milk drink. 

They had been overbearing ever since making Obi-Wan want to climb walls. The hugs, the kind words, the soft reprimands, it was all so confusing. He also suspected Shmi was utilizing her own son to stop him from doing exactly what he was doing. He had managed to convince Myles and Heddurk to watch the gaggle of children while Jango and Quinlan distracted Jaster and Shmi. His soulmate and Quin were not exactly happy with his plan, but he had played the card they owed him. Shockingly, that had worked.

Obi-Wan centered himself before finally leaning over slightly to open the box that sat on the floor in front of him. The container was cool to the touch and seemed to thrum against his skin. A faint spike of anxiety hit him, causing him to sigh, and he quickly countered Jango with a feeling of confidence. A sort of feeling of resigned annoyance swirled in his mind, compliments of his soulmate, but he didn't let it stop him from pushing the lid back. The inside was lined with a rich orange fabric that seemed to have a sheen in the light. Nestled in the plush lining sat the typical holocron, one that he couldn't quite place the design of, and the most peculiar-looking set of kyber crystals he had ever seen. They were orange, rather like a kohlen crystal, but they sang loudly in the Force. He was experienced with the fake kyber crystals, having seen them up close and personal not that long ago, and what lay before him was definitely not them. These were real kyber and they called to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this house, Revan is loved and cherished.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As far as he could tell the boy seemed to be growing brighter every day, but he had a feeling it had to do with finally not feeling uneasy at what the morning would bring. Children were more attuned to sensing bad things from what he could tell. Shmi also seemed to be softening around the edges, even if he had startled her this morning when he had padded silently into the common area. The scolding he had gotten had been quite impressive and he known enough to be wise and simply accept the food she shoved at him without putting up a fuss. Shmi was slowly mothering them all, but her focus was annoyingly focused on him. Honestly, he could take care of himself and didn’t need her to keep shoving food in his hands. He ate. When he remembered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY HALLOWEEEEEEEEEEEEEN~! AHHHH! 
> 
> Okay, so, I had the worst writer's block this week thanks to stupidity at work. I ended up taking Thursday and Friday off and just sort of reset myself? This chapter is me finally getting back into things and also 100% to be blamed on a Jangobi Discord. I was drinking, we talked about Obi-Wan drinking, and well *waves hands at everything* 
> 
> I regret nothing.

Cyare'se [shar-AY-say]  
 _loved ones_

\---

The parts of one lightsaber were spread out over a cloth in front of him, waiting for reassembly with a new style. He sat, crossed legged, and his focus was not actually on the disassembled weapon within his reach. No, his attention was on the tiny supernova mirroring his stance with a mild look of determination. Obi-Wan could feel his lips twitching with a faint smile and Anakin simply gave him a shockingly serious look. Daring him.

“Does your mother know where you are, dearheart,” his tone was concerned, wrapped up with a layer of friendly teasing. 

“Yes,” the boy finally answered after a pause. Obi-Wan knew he was trying to translate the Basic in his head before responding. They were clearly going to have to spend a great deal of time working on language lessons. Lessons, he mused, were going to take up a lot of his time now that he was thoroughly grounded.

“Ah, and why did you decide to join me,” he rested his hands on his knees and didn’t dare reach for the crystals while the boy was there in front of him. A moment later and Anakin mirrored his pose exactly again. Even those tiny fingers twitched the way his fingers did. 

Obi-Wan wanted to yank the child into a hug and never let go.

Again, a long pause, and then Anakin was answering as best he could. “My sunlight.” He could feel the mild amusement across the bond, which meant they were growing stronger as soulmates. He was going to have to shore up his shields if Jango was going to insist on eavesdropping like this. He poked hard at his soulmate with his mind and earned a mental swat in retaliation. He settled on running a hand over his lower face as he studied the tiny boy in front of him. As far as he could tell the boy seemed to be growing brighter every day, but he had a feeling it had to do with finally not feeling uneasy at what the morning would bring. Children were more attuned to sensing bad things from what he could tell. Shmi also seemed to be softening around the edges, even if he had startled her this morning when he had padded silently into the common area. The scolding he had gotten had been quite impressive and he known enough to be wise and simply accept the food she shoved at him without putting up a fuss. Shmi was slowly mothering them all, but her focus was annoyingly focused on him. Honestly, he could take care of himself and didn’t need her to keep shoving food in his hands. He ate. When he remembered. 

Obi-Wan bit the inside of his cheek before moving to pack the pieces of the lightsabers up carefully. He would be down a blade for the moment, but Jango had his other one. He doubted he would get in much more trouble on the ship and Jaster was refusing to even let him step out into the hangar. The stunt of getting caught in a vision had essentially sealed his fate for the time being. He had glanced at the outdoors yesterday and Jaster had ordered him to go take a nap like he was some youngling. When Master Jinn and Master Windu finally returned he was positive things would change. Yes, he would wait to plead his case once the Masters were around to back him up. He gave Anakin a silent thanks as he accepted a screw from those tiny fingers. He tied the bit of fabric up rather tightly and gave the boy in front of him a piercing look. 

“Alright, fine.” The second the words passed his lips he found Anakin leaping towards him. He caught the child easily enough and shifted the squirming mass of laughter until he was settled firmly in his lap. Anakin, naturally, kicked his feet happily and waved his hands wildly. Sheer happiness seemed to dance around him like tiny lights and soon enough he heard the telltale signs of his own children finally seeking him out. Cody rushed in first, holding a datapad tightly to his chest, and Rex followed a mere beat after. Boba was babbling rather loudly at his brother Rex, who was carrying him, and Obi-Wan let out the faintest of sighs. The lightsaber was definitely going to have to wait at this point now that the children had managed to escape whoever was watching them for the moment. He thought, rather unkindly, that it had probably been Jaster. Their ba’buir had a habit of unleashing them on the ship when he thought Obi-Wan had hidden away far too long. They did, after all, always find him. 

The fact the Mandalorians felt no remorse weaponizing his children like this was both endearing and terrifying. His weakness was clearly well known.

“And I suppose it is lesson time? Shall we learn about how stars are made,” he grinned as several cries of horror left the children around him. “No? How about another lesson on Basic? I can read us all a story.” That got cheers of delight as everyone settled down around him. He accepted the datapad with a faint smile and blinked slightly as Cody just continued to give him a sort of look. An eyebrow arched upward and then it dawned on him. Oh, how rude of him! Obi-Wan pressed a loud kiss to Cody’s forehead, causing the boy to squeal in delight, and then promptly subjected the rest of the children to the same treatment. They took a bit to calm down after that, but when they finally all did he pulled up an easy learning module about a tooka that liked to run. 

“Remember, darlings, simply ask if you-”

“We know,” several voices informed him at the same time and he chuckled. 

“Yes, quite. Alright, now where did we leave off…”

Obi-Wan did his best to add inflections to his voice for various words and paused often as the boys did their best to ask questions. Anakin tended to let Rex and Cody do the talking, but he was always watching and listening. He made a mental note to ask the Mand’alor later if he had more learning modules for younglings. He wasn’t really a teacher, but it surely didn’t hurt to help the boys become more secure in Basic. He had the faint feeling they were going to end up back on Coruscant at some point and any lessons now would only help them later.

°

“Come on, Obes,” Quinlan shook the dark bottle enticingly in front of his face. The liquid sloshed and a faint aroma that reminded him of blaster fire against sand wafted past his nose. “Just a sip. They said it tastes like a sunset.” Obi-Wan highly doubted whatever was in that bottle tasted like that, but he merely settled on giving his friend a look. 

“He bought it in an alley,” Heddurk said without looking up from the droid he was disassembling. Quin shot him a dirty look at the clear betrayal. “Probably poison.”

A snort of laughter escaped him before he could stop himself and he found himself quickly trying to school his features into one of serenity as Quinlan gave him a look of horror. The serenity spasmed hard and then he was smiling as he shrugged. “Sorry, it is a bit funny you keep buying this stuff for me to try in the most questionable of places. Why don’t you ever ask Jango to try these things?”

“Because he knows I will kill him, cyar'ika,” his soulmate drawled out in a matter of fact way. Obi-Wan elbowed him promptly in the side and found himself having to quickly put a hand up between them to halt the vicious attack he almost suffered. Jango made a sound of annoyance at being denied a kiss but settled back to reading the datapad his buir had given him moments before. He knew, for certain, that they’d end up revisiting this moment later. Jango was a tad more physical with his affection, something Obi-Wan was getting used to slowly. Quinlan was about hugs, invading his personal space, but Jango was completely about consuming him in a fiery blaze. His soulmate was dangerous and he was growing horridly addicted. 

“Now, we wouldn’t want that. Quin is my best friend,” he pointed out before finally reaching out to snag the bottle with deft fingers. 

“You’ll regret drinking that,” Jango merely murmured, but made no move to stop him from taking a large swig. Liquid plasma, Anakin wailing after falling and bumping his knee, Qui-Gon giving him that look of disappointment he didn’t really understand, and a mouthful of fire. He hissed out in faint pain before a rather rude word escaped him. Quinlan snickered hard, Heddurk glanced up from his droid finally, and Jango merely made a sound that somehow he knew meant he had told him so. He narrowed his eyes at Jango and brought the bottle up again. He enjoyed the mild look of panic in his soulmate’s eyes as he did his best to chug a large chunk of the bottle. The liquid burned his throat and forced a hot warmth through his body. Obi-Wan could feel the fire in his fingertips. “Slow down,” came the order and he willfully disobeyed. 

“No, no, don’t slow down!” Quinlan was already reaching across the space to place a bare hand on his wrist. He could see the moment the feelings and emotions of the beverage slammed up against his friend. Quin’s eyes fluttered rapidly as a faint gasp of what he thought was pleasure escaped him. Suddenly Quin was jumping up from his spot on the couch, yanking Obi-Wan up in the process, and he pressed the bottle back towards the other’s mouth. 

“What is this anyway,” Obi-Wan felt like all the air in the space had rushed straight towards his head and he leaned against Quinlan as if his friend was the only thing keeping him standing. Jango’s mild displeasure coated his mind. 

“I think they called it desert wine,” Quinlan took a swig from the bottle, his features skewing up in annoyance at not getting the flavor experience first hand. Obi-Wan snickered and paused for a minute as he felt slightly more than displeasure from Jango. 

“I think we definitely need to slow down,” his soulmate’s voice wrapped around him and he couldn’t quite help the way he leaned away from Quinlan and towards Jango as if the man was sunlight and he was a mere flower. A growl of annoyance from Quin was the only warning he got before his friend’s arms were around his waist. Jealousy soaked the air. 

“Should I...leave,” Heddurk asked. “I can go join, uh, storytime…”

“Stay,” Jango ordered. “I need a witness that says it was self-defense when I murder Quinlan for giving my soulmate kriffing booze.” 

“Now, now,” Obi-Wan reached out and slapped a hand against Jango’s face in mild affection. The noise rang loudly in his ears. Fond annoyance shot across the bond followed by what he thought might be the beginning of a headache. “I am old enough and-” His lips pursed together as he suddenly felt like he was having trouble forming the thought that had just been on the tip of his tongue. Quin nuzzled against his neck, distracting, and held the bottle out again. He accepted it, dancing just out of Jango’s reach, and found himself more thoroughly entangled with Quin. “I shall be perfectly fine,” he promised as he tipped the bottle back and began to down the rest. The feeling of horror that washed over him had to come from Jango because Quinlan was whispering encouragement against his neck. 

He felt warm. 

Obi-Wan peeled himself away from Quinlan and promptly tripped over his own feet. Jango was there, catching him, and he sent a large surge of affection at his other half. The attempt was a bit stronger than he meant and Jango’s arms trembled slightly in response. “Easy, di’kut. I know, I know, come on. Let’s get you-” There were far too many words. Obi-Wan pressed a hand over the other’s mouth before shifting just a fraction. The hand slid away and he replaced it with his own lips. A sigh of frustration was the response he got, a most confusing reaction to a kiss. 

“Yeah. I am going to leave,” Heddurk muttered softly. 

“I think perhaps,” Master Windu’s voice cut through the small space, causing everyone to freeze. “We picked a very interesting time to return.” Faint amusement bounced among the words leaving the Jedi, but Obi-Wan felt his gaze drawn to his own Master. Qui-Gon stood there with a nearly churlish look on his features. Displeasure seeped through the training bond shields and Obi-Wan felt oddly off-balanced. 

“Padawan,” Qui-Gon began to say. It was too much and he wrapped his arms around Jango’s shoulders a tad tighter than required as the first laugh escaped him. Force, he felt like he could feel the galaxy in his head!

°

What should have been tiny voices sounded like they were amplified. Obi-Wan curled up further and groaned as the mere act of moving sent a lancing pain through his head. Kriff, why did everything hurt?

“Buir,” Rex demanded before shaking his side rather roughly for a toddler. When had he gotten such strength? Cody was talking in the background, letting them know breakfast was going to grow cold if they didn’t move soon. 

He never planned on moving again. 

“I’m dying,” he whined out just before an overly loud laugh filled the room. The small hands vanished, but the pain continued. Even his sinuses felt like they were pulsing with agony. What had happened to him? 

“And that is why I told you to slow down, di’kut,” Jango leaned over him with a smug look. “Drink this.” Obi-Wan blindly reached for the cup of filtered water. The mere thought of drinking anything was unpleasant, but the bond was flaring with concern. He didn’t want to make his soulmate worry. He also didn’t want to feel like his head was splitting in two. Kriff. Never again. He managed to get a solid grip on the water and drank like he had grown a desert in his own center that needed rain. His thirst didn’t feel quenched in the least, if anything his stomach lurched, and he let out another pitiful moan. 

“Boys,” Jango lowered his voice. “He is fine. Go join the others for breakfast, I’ll handle this.”

“But if he gets sick-” Rex tried to push his way onto the bed, only to be stopped by Jango. The conversation that followed was far too fast for him to follow. His Mando’a had improved slightly, but Obi-Wan didn’t even try to keep up with whatever they were saying. He merely pulled a pillow over his head to try and block out the argument. Eventually, his soulmate appeared to win judging from the remarkably sullen footsteps that stormed out of the room. The bed dipped slightly as Jango sat down, but he made no move to pull the pillow away from his face. The headache pounding behind his eyes was terrifying. He knew he should have been able to just release his discomfort into the air around him, but the mere thought of doing anything made him want to just run face into a wall so he passed out. 

“You know,” Jango mused. “I think the Hermit is furious with us. He tried to lecture you and you just laughed like he was telling a joke.”

“No,” he breathed out in horror. He didn’t recall doing that, he didn’t even recall Qui-Gon coming back! Obi-Wan fumbled for a second but managed to pull the pillow away from his face. The sudden light rewarded him with a new wave of discomfort. 

“Yes, he ranted at me for quite a bit. Windu took pity and said you should go see him to help get rid of this well-deserved hangover,” Jango grinned a tad ruthlessly before rapping a knuckle against Obi-Wan’s forehead. Pain erupted and he didn’t even regret trying to punch his soulmate in the jaw. Laughter filled the room and soon swear words joined the mix. He had effectively destroyed any backup he would have gotten from the Jedi Masters with a single bottle. 

He was going to be grounded to this ship forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT FEELS SO GOOD TO WRITE AGAIN T_T


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What about Ani?"
> 
> Qui-Gon's gaze flickered towards Jango again, clearly trying to convey he didn't wish to speak in front of the Mandalorian. Obi-Wan, for once, didn't take pity on him. No, instead he went back to trying to reassemble the lightsaber in front of him while talking. Qui-Gon stood there, unsure for a moment, before finally letting out a soft displeased sound. Jango merely smirked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now back to our regularly schedule story!!! 
> 
> What a whirlwind of a week last week, eh?

Demagolka [deh-mah-GOHL-kah]  
 _someone who commits atrocties, a real-life monster, a war criminal - from the notorious Mandalorian scientist of the Old Republic, Demagol, known for his experiments on children, and a figure of hate and dread in the Mando psyche_

\---

"I think they are in a relationship," Jango seemed to blurt out of nowhere. Obi-Wan blinked, hand hovering over the bit he wanted to pick up, and finally cast a glance at his other half. He gave the warrior a confused look and waited for further elaboration. He was attempting to recraft the lightsaber and he just kept getting interrupted. Today, he thought stubbornly, was the day he would finish his project. "Buir and Shmi," Jango finally threw out.

Ah.

Obi-Wan let his hand fall to his knee as he pursed his lips. Jaster and Shmi in a relationship was hardly a bad thing, at least that was what he thought. His gaze skated across the various part while he tried to sense Jango's mental state. He earned a light slap from the bond, causing him to snort with laughter. "And does it matter?"

Jango spun his blaster around a finger lazily as he shrugged. He was lounging on some crates, completely at ease, and Obi-Wan couldn't help wondering how that was comfortable. There was only contentment coming across the bond now so he figured his soulmate was merely voicing his thoughts out loud. He understood, sometimes talking helped sort things out. "I don't think so...it's just strange."

"Shmi is lovely-"

The arrival of Qui-Gon put an end to their conversation before it even really began. Obi-Wan could feel Jango growing tense as the taller Jedi walked over to them. Obi-Wan mentally sighed before flashing his Master a faint smile. "Master," he said politely. They hadn't exactly talked much since his rather unfortunate experience with alcohol.

"Obi-Wan," the man greeted with faint fondness and then cast a look towards Jango. The look on his face went painfully civil. There was an actual visible pause and then he inclined his head. "Jango." The two really didn't seem to get on well and Obi-Wan couldn't quite put his finger on why. 

"Hermit." Ah, there was one reason. He let out a sigh as Qui-Gon bristled at the insult. 

"What brings you out here," he asked quickly in an attempt to stop yet another heated debate. 

"I wanted to speak with you about the boy, Anakin," his Master explained while crossing his arms before hands vanished into sleeves. That was a fidgety habit they shared and one Obi-Wan wanted so badly to mirror in that moment. He settled on carding his fingers through the lightsaber parts. The orange kyber sang softly to him, reminding him that the lightsaber was important. 

"What about Ani?"

Qui-Gon's gaze flickered towards Jango again, clearly trying to convey he didn't wish to speak in front of the Mandalorian. Obi-Wan, for once, didn't take pity on him. No, instead he went back to trying to reassemble the lightsaber in front of him while talking. Qui-Gon stood there, unsure for a moment, before finally letting out a soft displeased sound. Jango merely smirked.

"He is unusually bright in the Force. I was hoping you would help me convince his mother that his place should be at the Temple," the words were calm enough, but something still sat uneasy in the air. Obi-Wan ran his thumb over a washer as he mulled that over. Qui-Gon was becoming far too invested in Anakin despite barely spending time around the boy.

It was worrying. 

"Ani," he finally said carefully. "Deserves time being a child for a bit. Thrusting him towards the Temple so soon after being freed could be…" _Disastrous._ Obi-Wan set the flat circle of metal down and tried to keep himself calm. "Master, his slavery may not have been as...violent or intense, but he is too young to understand that-"

"I am sure at his age he will forget all about being a slave," Qui-Gon interrupted. "You got over it." The bond between him and Jango went ice cold with rage. Obi-Wan could only wince. Kriff, that was a topic he had never really broached because that wasn't exactly something he had wanted to bring up, but now they were clearly going to claw pieces of his past towards the light. He shoved calm across his bond with Jango in an attempt to stop his soulmate from shooting his Master. They didn't need a political aggression, not when they were finally getting along.

"I was a tad older and I was hardly a slave as long as he was," he said calmly. The only sign that gave away his discomfort was the way his fingers trembled. "And it isn't our decision. The Mand'alor and Shmi-"

"Obi-Wan, the boy is powerful and needs to be trained. You must see that," Qui-Gon interrupted again. His stomach churned when he realized where this was going. He was surprised it had taken this long, but then again, his Master had been away. Anakin had seemed to grow brighter the happier he was. His Master was a stubborn man that was far too invested in prophecy. 

"He is a child. Please, Qui-Gon, leave it alone for now." Jango was like a kicked hive behind him. Angry and ready to strike. The irritation swarmed hard and fast. 

"Anakin is the Chosen-" Obi-Wan held a hand up for silence. He was oddly surprised when his Master stopped talking.

"Anakin is a child that needs time to be a child, he needs to spend time around his family, so please. Stop for now." He couldn't quite squash the unease growing inside of him.

"The longer he stays with his Mother then the more attachment he will have," Qui-Gon argued. Obi-Wan could feel a headache forming behind his eyes. He didn't even flinch as the blaster went off behind him. A score mark bloomed on the floor and Qui-Gon looked less than amused as he glanced down at the purposeful miss. Jango was done with the conversation. His Master sent a wave of displeasure across their training bond that was followed by resigned fondness. The conversation was not over and would most certainly be picked up again. Obi-Wan simply gave him an apologetic smile. 

"Leave," Jango ordered. "Or I will remove you."

Obi-Wan cradled his face in his hands while his Master finally left. All he had wanted to do was construct the new lightsaber, but now his mind was racing with old memories.

°

Jaster felt like he was going cross eyed from staring far too long at the datapad. Zhiaa had come through, finding the scientist, and now he was trying to read one of the driest recordings of the atrocities that had been committed. There was a project, a project to grow an army of clones to fight some war. The problem was he didn't know of any grand war that required troops in the millions. He would have loved to question the scientist, but he had watched the holorecording in horror as the man took his life like a coward. A strange spasm of the jaw and then foam had erupted from the mouth. Dez had tried to stabilize the monster, but nothing could be done.

Now he was stuck wondering if there were more tiny Jangos left on a planet he didn't know. He sighed as he rubbed his forehead with a hand. He should just give the datapad to Heddurk to deal with. 

"Jaster," Shmi said softly as she walked into the cockpit. "You are going to have strange aches if you spend all day sitting like that." His lips quirked in affection. "Now, put that down for a bit and drink." She held a steaming mug out to him, which he accepted with a nod of thanks. The liquid smelled familiar and he raised an eyebrow in question. Shmi merely smiled one of her secret smiles in answer. Jaster took a large swig and it took his brain a moment to place the drink.

"Shig?" 

Shmi nodded as she delicately sat down in the copilot's seat. "Myles showed me what was needed. He couldn't exactly tell me how it should taste…" 

"It tastes wonderful," he assured her quickly. "Anything you make for me does."

Shmi's eyes twinkled with amusement as she shook her head. "I am hardly going to make things correctly if you just keep saying that." Jaster gave a shrug before taking another swig of the warming drink. "Are we to leave soon? The children are getting restless and the Jedi…"

"Are being annoying," he supplied easily. "We finished our job here, even if it ended with the worst case scenario. I am trying to decide where we go next, my Desert Flower." Shmi scoffed at the nickname, but he knew she wasn't annoyed. She simply reached a hand out and he wasted no time catching it with his own. "I would prefer to lose some of our passengers, but I am not sure that is going to happen. The best I can probably do at the moment is push the older jettise to Zhiaa's ship." 

"Jaster," she said with mild amusement. "You cannot just push your troubles to a different ship. Besides, they will have to return to wherever they came from, no?"

He sipped the shig a tad slower as he nodded. The jettise would eventually need to go back to Coruscant, but that presented a new set of problems. Obi-Wan belonged to Mandalore now and there was no way Jango would let his soulmate go. Jaster wasn't looking forward to dealing with the argument that was sure to spawn between everyone and the hermit. It was an awful shame he couldn't just lose Qui-Gon out in the sea of sand. That would solve so much. 

A light lit up in warning and then the whole ship was rocking violently. Jaster swore, mug slipping from his fingers, and Shmi braced herself with hands on the dash. His ears were ringing from the explosion and his eyes weren't quite sure what they were seeing. The hangar door was simply gone and in its place was smoking rubble. Each perimeter alarm started wailing, snapping him into action. He flipped the comms on and began barking orders at once.

Someone had sent a warning and the timing left him feeling ill.

What was the warning?

"Time to go atmo, no more time to gather supplies," he let Dez know. "We are heading home to regroup."

"Lek, Alor." No argument. No call to investigate. Good. 

"Zhiaa," he commed the shadow-like warrior.

"I'm on it. Go. I'll find who did this and join you later." 

Jaster turned just enough to give Shmi a kiss. A promise, a question. She returned the kiss before standing up. He could see the survival instinct kicking in as he watched. "I'm going to go make sure all of the children are secured. You get us out of here in one piece." He smirked before mockingly pressed a fist to his chest in salute. She snorted, a look of affection passing across her face, and then he watched her leave the cockpit in a hurry. The ade would be safe with her.

No sooner had she left than Jango, Obi-Wan, and Quinlan were tumbling into the cockpit.

"Buir, the hermit was outside, but Dez yanked him onto her ship-"

"We can't leave without my Master-"

"We should totally leave without Jinn-"

Jaster blinked and then shook his head. "All of you, strap in." He caught Obi-Wan trying to move back out of the cockpit out of the corner of his eye. Jango was there in an instant, whispering something quickly. Whatever it was it didn't seem to sit well with the tiny warrior. He had to hide his smirk as he began going through the emergency start up sequence. "Dez will take care of the hermit. Now, sit down and strap in. We are leaving fast."

The boys finally did as ordered. He was going to have to reinforce how important it was to listen to him later, when they weren't making a quick getaway. Myles and Heddurk were hopefully making sure there was no damage to the ship or, worse, hidden bombs. He didn't know where Mace was, but he had a feeling the jetii was helping Shmi. He wanted to go after whoever had sent the warning, but he had a ship full of ade to protect. Zhiaa would handle this in his place. 

"I should be with-"

"Shmi is with them, Obi'ika, and if you argue one more time I am going to have you sparring until you pass out," he informed the stubborn boy. Jango snickered and Quinlan let out a sound of sympathy. "You two as well." He flipped the ignition and barely waited for the computer to give him the clear. Jaster punched it while several voices protested how unfair his punishment was. "I know, I'm the worst," he said with mock sympathy before opening comms to Myles and Heddurk.

"Clear," Heddurk blurted out as soon as the line crackled to life. 

"I'm going to man the cannon, just in case. It looks like it was just a warning, but it could have been to flush us out," Myles stated. Jaster hummed faintly because he agreed. This could be the beginning of falling into a trap. The question was why, why now? He didn't know if it had to do with the jettise or the ad'ika or even the Skywalkers. That annoyed him, but he forced the thoughts aside as he began to program the navigation computer from memory. Make it off this dustball and then he could worry.

"Why would anyone want to attack us," Quinlan finally asked.

"We have done a lot of things to make enemies lately," Obi-Wan mused with faint amusement. "I'm sure destroying the ruins on Dantooine put a price on our heads." 

"That or one of the crime families finally got annoyed they couldn't challenge the Mysterious Stranger so they tried to goad you into a fight." Jango's voice sounded both annoyed and impressed. 

"You three aren't helping right now," Jaster couldn't hide the affection in his voice. They were voicing the thoughts he was trying to ignore for the moment.

°

The bomb had been crude and ugly, but it had caused the Mandalorians to move like the insects they were. He watched several ships take off from beneath the shadow of his hood. 

They were smart.

He had expected them to rush out, to see who had done this, and then he would cut them down before grabbing the property of the Trade Federation. Instead, well, they had fled as if sensing the trap. It was probably because of that damn Jedi. He had studied what little footage that had survived the bombing of the old Dantooine Temple. He had watched the blades slice violently while a Mandalorian had fought by the boy's side. 

The footage of the arena battle had only driven his curiosity to an unhealthy high. 

An innocent smile and thumbs up after destroying an opponent so much bigger. 

He had finally found someone worthy. He had found someone that would give him an actual challenge.

His eyes burned with anger as he watched the ships vanish into the overly bright sky. They were taking his prey further away, but it wouldn't matter in the end. His Master wanted the pathetic life forms returned to the proper owners and he wanted all witnesses dealt with. He was happy to comply, relished in the idea, but what he was looking forward to the most was causing the fire haired Padawan great pain. 

He was going to make that beacon of good Fall and destroy the Mandalorians in the process. 

He'd make the stars weep by the time he was done with the Jedi.

"Run while you can. I'm coming."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst, angst, soft, angst. 
> 
> Obi-Wan is picking up admirers like a pro, amirite?


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You sent me away," he blurted out and everyone froze. Kriff. His cheeks darkened with shame instantly at his small outburst. "I mean I wasn't good enough. The Council sent me away after a Master refused to pick me. That's where it all begins." Mace's eyebrows drew together while a faint feeling of unease filled the room. That wasn’t exactly what happened, but Master Windu wasn’t correcting him, merely waiting for him to continue. He wasn’t sure if that was worse than being reprimanded or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um, what? YO! I AM JUST-  
> Over 2000 kudos? WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN? I am beyond honored. Just, thank you so much. I can't believe how many people have read this since I started it. ~~also wtf, 25 chapters? when did I write this much?~~
> 
> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THIS JOURNEY WITH ME. 
> 
> ...also, apologies for the incoming angst. Things are about to get painful, as fair warning. Obi-Wan gonna talk about his youth. Yikes.

Ara'novor [ah-RAH-nov]  
 _approach, stand in the way off, block_

\--

Arriving on Mandalore couldn’t come fast enough.

He wanted out of the conversation, but he couldn't even move thanks to Quin. The traitor was clinging to him like some sort of aquatic creature with far too many limbs. Any attempt at moving only resulted in the arms tightening. Obi-Wan was stuck glaring at Jaster and Master Windu while Jango didn't seem to know what to do with himself. His soulmate kept pacing, stopping as if to say something, and then he'd just start pacing again.

The whole ordeal was giving him a stress headache.

Jango’s unease and anger in the bond were certainly not helping any.

"I think it best if you start from the beginning, Padawan," Mace said with a tone that left no room for argument. His gaze shot towards Jango, the traitor, the source of this whole conversation. If his soulmate had just kept his mouth shut then he wouldn't be trapped in this conversation. A mere slip up in front of Jaster about the whole slavery fiasco and now they were all taking over the common area. Shmi was watching all of the children, making sure they didn’t interrupt the serious conversation, most likely telling them stories and letting them play. He wanted to be playing with toy ships instead of sitting here, but that was clearly not going to happen. Heddurk and Myles, he noticed, were also absent. They were probably getting to play with toys. "Obi-Wan," the name was an order, a reminder he had not answered.

Quin tightened his grip and he tried to squirm free slightly. 

"You sent me away," he blurted out and everyone froze. Kriff. His cheeks darkened with shame instantly at his small outburst. "I mean I wasn't good enough. The Council sent me away after a Master refused to pick me. That's where it all begins." Mace's eyebrows drew together while a faint feeling of unease filled the room. That wasn’t exactly what happened, but Master Windu wasn’t correcting him, merely waiting for him to continue. He wasn’t sure if that was worse than being reprimanded or not. 

"Obi'ika, explain to those of us that aren't caught up in the mystical nonsense." Jaster's request was softer, but still an order. There would be no running from this, no matter how much he wanted.

"...if you don't get picked by your thirteenth birthday then you are sent away, except the Order sent me away before that because I lost my temper- another Initiate taunted me into a fight, and… we beat each other until we both were bruised. I went back to my room, but he went to the Healers. I took all the blame. My temper was not the best when I was younger." Quinlan hummed before pressing his nose right under Obi-Wan's ear, trying to give him comfort. Jaster looked less than pleased, Jango was turning a faint reddish hue, and Mace simply frowned. 

"The Council made a decision and I obeyed, reluctantly. I became grievously injured on the way to my new posting, but Master Jinn was there. He said I wasn't suited to be a Jedi after he made sure I healed enough to not be in any serious danger," the words slipped out of his mouth. Clinical, precise, to the point. Gloss over the unneeded and just get the story out. He could do this and then Mace held up a hand to stop him. The plan was already out the port it seemed.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I know this bit of the story since I was not aware you almost died. That is what you mean, is it not" the council member asked carefully. Surely this had been in the report? Everything that happened on a mission was supposed to be recorded- no, of course not. His Master tended to leave large chunks of things out and he was often the one who filled those bits in before submitting said report to the Council, using his Master's code.

"...I got beat up. I was told not to help, but people were dying and getting injured and I couldn't just sit by. I, uh, perhaps angered a Hutt." Concern, anger, confusion slid down the bond and he flashed an uneasy smile towards Jango. It was in the past. Everything was technically fine now if he ignored how his heart was starting to hammer inside his chest like a faulty engine.

"And this was before you became a slave," Jaster asked patiently. He shifted, spreading his legs slightly as a means of making himself more comfortable. The Mand'alor had decided he was going to be standing for a while for this story. An accurate assumption, what with the way people kept asking questions.

"Yes. We landed, Master Jinn went his way, but certain people thought we were associated anyway. It was really only to get back at him, the whole slavery thing. He rescued me in the end." He took one look at the group and wisely decided not to mention nearly sacrificing himself to save Qui-Gon. There were aspects of the story that were better left inside his head so people couldn’t turn them against his Master. Qui-Gon Jinn was not a perfect man, but he did right by Obi-Wan. They understood each other. 

He was as close to a father as he had ever had in his life.

Mace was fixing him with a look, clearly realizing he was holding something back. The walls were closing in, he could taste the fear again, and there was a sudden weight encircling his neck. Flashes of the memory bubbled to the surface of his mind, and for one horrifying moment, he was back there. 

"No!" Quinlan's voice erupted next to his ear, yanking him back to the present, and he recoiled hard. The emotion he felt in the air was almost as overwhelming as suddenly being deaf in one ear. "You idiot!" Hands gripped his shirt and he found himself being shaken rather hard. The force actually caused his head to rock back and forth, which only helped the headache grow. His eyes widened as he tried to figure out what was going on. The outburst had been caused by something, but he didn’t know what. "He didn't even want you and you tried to kill yourself to save him! What the kriff is wrong with you?" Quin had used his powers on him it seemed.

That was very not good.

“No, that isn’t what-” His words were swallowed by the sudden noise in the room. Any attempt at defending the decision was lost to the stars.

Jaster started yelling at Mace, Mace started loudly talking back, and Jango just sort of stopped moving. Mace was trying to defend the Order and seemed angry that he hadn't known. Jaster wanted to order Jinn spaced. 

Things were falling apart in the room and he knew he had failed in his debriefing. 

The Mandalorians hated Qui-Gon Jinn.

They hated his Master.

"It was a bomb collar," he whispered. "I figured I might as well make myself useful-"

Jango was moving, shoving past his father, and he threw himself at the couch violently, desperately even. Quinlan didn't even have time to evade the tackle. All three of them crashed to the floor and Obi-Wan somehow landed underneath the other two. Trapped. He stared up at the ceiling while arms tightened painfully around him. Everything hurt, inside and out, and he didn’t know how to release that into the Force.

"Padawans," Mace said. "If we could all calm down. I think that would be wise. Kenobi, young one, why did you never tell anyone?” 

A question, a simple question, and suddenly it felt like the very ground was falling out from beneath him. His whole body tensed and then Jango was whispering into his ear. Promising things he shouldn’t. The words were angry and somehow sweet at the same time. Quinlan was gripping his arm, burying his face against his chest, and bleeding hurt into the Force. They were all so upset and he had just shoved the pain away in a neat little box inside his head before this. Had that been a mistake? The lock on that painful memory shattered and it caused a ripple effect. Each lock sprang open with a deafening click. Click, _click_ , **click** , the truth was rushing forward and he let out a faint sound of discomfort. 

_Don’t feel. Release your emotions. Focus, focus on the mission._

“This stops now,” Jaster’s voice filled his mind. “When we land, Windu, I don’t want that man anywhere near the boy or any of the others. I don’t know what you thought you were all doing, but can’t you see the scars on his mind?” 

“It’s fine, it’s fine, it’s fine,” Jango practically pleaded with him in a whisper. 

“I agree, I need to have a long conversation with the Council. This sheds new light on the time young Kenobi supposedly left the Order. I fear the answer I am going to get with an investigation is not what I was given all those years ago,” Mace said as he slowly began to stand up. Obi-Wan tried to twist in the vice-like grip he was in, stretching an arm out towards the Jedi Master. He needed to say something, anything. Mace glanced at him and the sheer heartbreak he saw on the man’s face had him swallowing his words.

This wasn’t-

He hadn’t meant-

“Kriff,” he breathed out.

°

The landing in the shipyard was just as eventful as the takeoff from Tatooine, as in it involved a lot of screaming. Qui-Gon stepped off the second ship and Obi-Wan had to launch himself onto his soulmate’s back to stop the idiot from actually shooting his Master.

“Stop!” His cry was covered up by the sheer amount of swear words escaping Jango. Quinlan was egging Jango on because of course, he was. Sometimes his best friend was a pure menace.

“Everyone, stand down,” Jaster actually yelled over all of them. The result was everyone freezing, even the children. Shmi did, however, place herself between them and the grownups as a sort of shield. Heddurk and Myles seemed to move as one, shifting to stand on either side of Jango. Obi-Wan made a face before slowly loosening his grip on the trigger happy Mandalorian. His feet barely touched the ground before Heddurk was gripping the edge of his tunic. He cast a look towards the younger warrior, but the other was staring at Qui-Gon as far as he could tell. 

Dez merely leaned against her ship, spinning a blaster around a finger, and watched everyone.

Someone was definitely going to get shot.

“We find ourselves with a bit of a problem,” Master Windu said as he walked slowly down the ramp. He made a show of shaking out his arms before gracefully folding them across his chest so his hands vanished into his sleeves. “Master Jinn, the Council has requested your return to Coruscant.”

“Then Obi-Wan and I-”

“You misunderstand me, just you have been requested. I would say take Quinlan with you since his Master misses him, but I would not be so lucky. The Council has also requested Vos stays with Kenobi while we work at repairing our relationship with the Mandalorians.” He felt the confusion and displeasure from his Master before a wall slammed across their bond. Obi-Wan twisted Heddurk’s hand free of his tunic so he could lace their fingers together, trying to ground himself with something tangible thanks to the sudden blankness in his mind. His training bond was still there, but he was being shut out for the moment. It felt wrong.

Mace turned towards Jaster and gave a faint bow. “I don’t mean to impose, but Master Jinn is lacking a ship, would we be able to borrow one?”

“I’ll take him back,” Dez offered up a little too fast. “Wouldn’t want to keep the space wizards waiting.” 

Jango took a step backward, knocking straight into him, but Obi-Wan was thankful. He brought his free hand up to grab at the neck of his soulmate’s armor. Fingers bit into cool beskar as he tried not to give in to the feeling of unease. Master Windu was sending his Master away after the disastrous conversation. Rotations later Mace had cornered him and slowly pulled every single mission out of him until he had felt drained. Each word, each retelling, had made him feel like he was peeling layers of himself away. His Master was a good man and did care about him. He had argued with Mace about that and pointed out that he was who he was because Qui-Gon had raised him. 

And, his Master was being sent away.

“And you are staying here, Master Windu, with _my_ Padawan,” Qui-Gon finally asked without even glancing towards Obi-Wan. That, that slight action, hurt more than anything else for some reason. Quinlan collapsed against his back, breath teasing his neck, and just stood there in silence. 

“Yes, unfortunately, someone has to make sure he and Quinlan don’t somehow manage to blow up a building,” the other Jedi Master answered dryly.

“Hey,” Quin called half-heartedly. “That was one time!” Nervous laughter erupted from the surrounding people, which was probably what Quin had been going for since he wasn’t a fan of overly serious conversation. Obi-Wan had the urge to kiss him in thanks. The effect was promptly ruined sadly as ice seemed to be poured on all of them with mere words.

“I see,” came the cold response. “Then I suppose I best be off so I can return sooner rather than later. Obi-Wan, do try and not cause trouble while I am gone. I trust you will mind your lessons.”

“Yes, Master,” he said softly and noticed the way everyone around him tensed. He watched his Master turn his back on him and ascend back into the ship. How many times did this make it now? 

How many times had he been left behind while Qui-Gon flew off without him? 

_Don’t leave me._

Jango tensed suddenly before turning around to yank him for a painful hug. Quinlan grunted at nearly falling over thanks to the action and Heddurk’s hand tightened painfully around his. He could hear the ship powering up, the engines getting ready for take-off, but all he could picture in his mind was every single time he had witnessed this same thing play out before. The boxes were obliterated, the memories freely pulling at things they shouldn’t. 

“Kenobi,” Mace placed a hand on top of his head. “Mind your emotions. This is not the end, you’ve done nothing wrong.” And yet he could hear a silent sentence in the wind. Words unspoken. _We were the ones who were perhaps wrong._

“Of course, Master, my apologies,” he replied mechanically. 

He was a Jedi.

He was a Jedi.

**He was a Jedi.**

He would weather this storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OOF! I celebrated by thrusting much angst at you all. 
> 
> Listen, I have plans, ideas, and things needed to happen. 
> 
> I love reading all of your comments and seeing people appear on my tumblr. I love interacting with all of you <3 I know my comment replies have slowed down and I know you understand, but I still have that need to explain. I am not ignoring them. I read them, I love them, I hug them, and I pour that into more stories.


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Obi-Wan, you were wise to seek aid, even if you had thought you were no longer part of the Order." 
> 
> His gaze finally jerked from the grass and to Mace's face and he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. "But I wasn't! Even you made it perfectly that I was not wanted when I was returned to the Temple. I was to not talk about watching my friends- my family- die! You all looked at me as if I was a-" A hand landed on his head and he stopped talking at once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is both angst and both sweet... 
> 
> And maybe some plot. Just like a smidge of plot. I read the recipe and that is what it called for, I think.

Aliit ori'shya tal'din [Ah-LEET-or-EESH-yah-tal-DEEN]  
_Family is more than blood. (Saying.)_

\----

"I think today we should talk about the time you left the Order," Mace said calmly enough. Obi-Wan made a slight face while dragging his fingers through blades of grass, not looking forward to this particular talk. He certainly didn’t feel calm, he always felt on edge in these moments, but somehow Master Windu was calm. They had been planetside for a few days and the Master was determined to pull information out of him. They did so in a garden alcove, away from prying eyes, but he wasn't thrilled with the conversations. 

It was all history and should have stayed that way.

"I gave my lightsaber to Master Jinn," he said mechanically. He supposed it was a kindness that he didn't have audiences for these new little talks. Only Mace heard what he had to say and most likely commed the Council afterward to relay whatever information he gleaned.

"Youngling," there was an unspoken exasperated _please_ he heard easily enough. He stilled his fingers for a moment in the cool grass and let out a soft sigh. He didn't want to push the stern Jedi Master too far, he had learned from experience how it felt to be on the judgemental end of that glare. 

"Master Jinn basically inferred it was the Young or the Order, I thought at the time the Force was telling me to stay. I was under the impression since I stayed I was kicked out of the Order, but-" If he had been better, somehow wiser, then things would have ended differently-

"As I recall you ended up calling and pleading for aid," Mace interrupted gently, halting that particular train of thought. The man shifted slightly to rest his hands on his knees while watching for some sort of reaction. What reaction though? Obi-Wan didn't know. He twisted his fingers amongst the green and let it soothe his aching mind.

He could do this.

"Young and old were dying. The Force was...I struggled to maintain Balance with so much death around me. I was failing-" A hand covered his and he blinked. Warmth spread around him slowly, comforting and protecting. Master Windu was trying to help him it seemed. The action conflicted with the memories in his head. Had Master Windu not been one of the more vocal in their displeasure of him when he returned?

"Obi-Wan, you were wise to seek aid, even if you had thought you were no longer part of the Order." 

His gaze finally jerked from the grass and to Mace's face and he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. "But I wasn't! Even you made it perfectly that I was not wanted when I was returned to the Temple. I was to not talk about watching my friends- my family- die! You all looked at me as if I was a-" A hand landed on his head and he stopped talking at once. 

"Even I am not perfect, this is a mark I must carry with me forever. I did you great harm, young one. Do you wish to continue today or have tea?" Obi-Wan bit his lower lip, worrying it slightly, and then finally made a face. He wasn't sure he could handle much more talking. He always felt like someone had yanked him open and scooped his inside out until he felt raw. He disliked how his old memories jarred in his head while he tried to view things differently. 

"Tea…and perhaps a nap." A part of him whispered that he should continue, that he should prove that he was worthy to still carry a lightsaber by not backing down, but he wasn’t sure how much more he could handle. His nerves were raw.

Mace merely hummed in acknowledgment before standing. The conversation was over for the day without a remark about him running, if anything the Master seemed relieved. He knew he would have to face yet another one tomorrow, but that was tomorrow's problem. 

The next day did bring more talks, as did the next and the following, but a sort of routine settled around him where he was never exactly alone. He found himself laying out everything from the moment he had become Qui-Gon’s Padawan as he remembered things he had forced himself to forget. It was the time outside the talks that left him feeling even more unbalanced. People were always just _there._ He would have thought everyone was waiting for him to break, to fall apart like a glass structure with a crack, but some of those that were always there were far too young to act in such a way.

When he meditated Boba made sure to sit in his lap and he didn’t mind. His youngest son was always entranced by feet, his own to be exact, and spent most of the meditations babbling in a way that was soothing while he tried to get one of his feet into his mouth. The youngling brushed against his mind with a sort of determination that soothed him and reminded him at some point the boy would need his own training.

When he went through the motions of his first form his twins did their best to mimic him. Their faces were a look of determination as they used wooden swords meant more for play than actually for training. They laughed and tried to look serious, they distracted him from darker thoughts. His twins seemed to know when to hit him in the shin with a blade before running away with mock screams so that he had to follow instead of dwell on things he couldn’t change.

When he stood in the garden and felt helpless, it was Jango that crashed into his side. His soulmate talked about his day, talked about anything, he just talked. Obi-Wan merely smiled and listened while his gaze kept traveling towards the stars. When his thoughts started to travel towards his Master, well, that was when Jango distracted him with hot kisses and exploring hands. Those distractions worked wonders to stop his thoughts completely.

When he didn't know if he could stare at his lesson module a moment longer, it was Quinlan who drew his attention. His lips always curled at the antics of Quin and food. His best friend always seemed to have some sort of treat for him to try. Obi-Wan was quickly expanding his horizons on food and, honestly, it was a nice distraction. He was content to eat whatever was handed to him while his friend radiated amusement. 

When he woke up during the night from fitful dreams, it was little Ani that pressed hands to his cheeks while staring with a solemn look on his small face. Obi-Wan, Jango, and Quinlan had given up on figuring out how this particular child kept sneaking into their suite. The arrangement from the ship had just sort of translated to how they all slept now that they were planetside. Jango and Obi-Wan in a bed together, Quinlan nearby on a sleeping cot, and children everywhere. 

He wasn’t even sure he could sleep by himself anymore.

Qui-Gon would have warned him he was getting far too attached. 

Master Windu never did.

°

The smoothness of the river stone felt strange against the pad of his thumb for some reason. Obi-Wan could feel the way his mouth pulled down into a slight frown while he ran his thumb over and over the stone. His eighteenth year alive had arrived and he found his mind drifting to things he couldn't control. He hadn’t heard from Master Qui-Gon at all since the man had turned around and walked up that ramp. He assumed that Mace was in contact, but the man didn’t ever mention the conversations.

Was Qui-Gon in trouble? The more he told Mace, the more he thought his Master might not return. What would happen to him now? He had gotten himself a soulmate, become tangled up with the Mandalorians, and had far too many attachments. He had also noticed he was having difficulty not giving in to some of his emotions. 

Would the Order even still want him?

"What's that," Jango asked from the doorway. The words interrupted his thoughts and made him realize how little awareness he had for his surroundings. Kriff. Obi-Wan finally blinked and glanced towards the man. The first thing that struck him was the fact the children were missing. He was positive when Jango had left he had done so with their young ones, but here he stood alone. Actually, he realized as his brows knit together, Quinlan was very much missing as well. Where was everyone? He debated casting out with the Force to see if he could sense the missing, but Jango was talking again. "You with me?"

"Sorry… but did you misplace _my_ children?" He watched as his soulmate's lips twitched with amusement. He could sense the smugness across the bond. Ah, something was clearly going on and Jango wasn’t going to explain everything.

"Buir has them, them and Quinlan. It is just us for the day. So...what's that?" There was no distracting his soulmate, even if he wanted to ask why Quinlan needed babysitting as well.

"My Master gave me it as a gift when I turned thirteen-" The rock clattered to the floor when he suddenly found himself stretched out on his back, a heavyweight on him. A faint sound of pain escaped him after a moment. Jango had kriffing tackled him. Dull pain blossomed against the back of his head from how the beads on his braid dug into his skull. “You are aware there are other ways to get me to stop talking about Qui-Go-” This time it was a demanding kiss that had the words escaping his mind. Jango was desperate and had no shame in forcing emotions across their bond. When they finally pulled apart he felt like he had somehow consumed an entire pot of that lava stew that had started this all off. 

“Buir said we can explore the museum today,” Jango’s voice was rough and it did strange things to his insides. Obi-Wan tried to get himself to focus and finally made a show of pushing the intoxicating emotions out of his mind and back at his soulmate. The man had the nerve to laugh before stealing another kiss. He hit the other in the side, hard. “Fine, fine. I’ll stop.”

Obi-Wan hummed his appreciation before shoving the other off of him completely. He still felt overly hot and wasn’t quite sure he should move right away. Jango simply settled down next to him on the floor, shoulders pressed together and began prattling on about the museum and the various things they’d see. History, he was going to see history he knew barely anything about. The words washed over him and sort of lulled him into a peaceful state.

“And there is this exhibit in the back, barely anyone goes there, but I guess there was a jetii during the Mandalorian Wars-” 

And then he was falling. 

A cry escaped him as his back crashed hard into ice-cold water. His eyes widened as he stared up at the red and silver mask looking down at him. A blade ignited, brilliant orange, and he watched as that blade sliced through the now tangible bond between him and Qui-Gon Jinn. He stretched a hand upward, trying to grasp the broken pieces, and the other was shaking their head. 

“Oh, my child, no.”

The Force sang.

“Open your eyes, Ob’ika,” the musical voice twisted around him. “You know what to do.” 

And then Jango was over him, a hand tapping his cheek a tad roughly, and looking like he had just witnessed someone dying. 

“Jango,” he breathed out. 

“You di’kut,” his Mandalorian cried. “You just- I couldn’t feel you for a second. Don’t do that, don’t ever do that again!”

Obi-Wan stared at him, feeling slightly bewildered, and tried to grasp at the quickly deteriorating images in his mind. He had seen that mask before, but already it was vanishing into his mind as if he hadn’t just experienced a vision. The thoughts slipped through his fingers like ice-cold water. Jango pressed their foreheads together and somehow he found himself matching his breathing to the other’s. Fast, frantic, scared. 

He felt lightheaded.

“I’m fine,” he whispered softly after a moment. “I’m here, Jango, I’m here.” He squeezed his eyes shut in order to protect them as he was attacked viciously with kisses all over his face. Anger, fear, concern, _love_ impregnated the very air around them and he had trouble breathing suddenly. Jango only pulled away once he was positive that Obi-Wan wasn’t about to pass out. The hand motion ordering him to stay was hardly needed, but he lay on the floor, stunned, and watched Jango walk out of the room quickly.

His eighteenth year in the galaxy had certainly started out extremely confusing. 

When Jango came back he was carrying a package wrapped up in fabric that reminded him of a fuel spill. It shined and seemed to change color with each jostling motion. He let out a sigh before pulling himself up into a seated position and raised an eyebrow in question. This day just kept getting stranger and stranger it seemed. Jango simply crouched down in front of him and shoved the package at his chest. 

“I was going to give this to you later, but after that stunt-” He opened his mouth to defend himself and decided that was unwise judging from the look he received. “-I figured I might as well give it to you now.” Whatever was inside the fascinating cloth had some actual weight. He frowned as he settled the item in his lap. His curiosity peaked and he found he did very much want to know what was inside. Deft fingers untied the knot and peeled the fabric aside with care, but his hands stilled when he exposed the prize.

An image in his head seemed to show him someone else wearing vambraces as well. She had walked a different path- he blinked and the mental image was gone like smoke. He frowned down at the vambraces.

“Jango,” he said carefully. “A Jedi doesn’t need armor.”

“But my soulmate does,” came the instant retort. “They are a sign of my, uh, intentions.” Obi-Wan blinked. Intentions? What was Jango on about? “Look, we are soulmates, we have aliit together, so I’m making this official. I asked buir and everything.” He still wasn’t following. Faint confusion and apprehension escaped him into the bond and Jango let out a loud sigh. The man simply picked up one of the vambraces before grabbing his arm. He didn’t try to stop what was happening, merely watched with mild confusion as his soulmate put the first vambrace on his arm and then repeated the act on his other arm. They were cool, comforting almost, and stopped partway up his forearm. The thing that was most strange, he mused, was that they felt like they belonged to him- like he should have been wearing them all his life.

“They match your armor,” he said finally in a soft voice. Jango snorted with laughter before pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

“Of course they do, di’kut. I’m courting you, officially.”

“Jedi don’t get married-”

“Master Windu just threw his hands up in the air and said you could do what you wanted at this point,” Jango said with a smug look. “I already checked. We are soulmates, but one day when I saw the vows, Obi-Wan, you will say them back. I know it won’t be today or tomorrow, but I am a patient man.”

“Mmm, I fail to agree with that. You’ve been nothing, but impatient,” he said with as much serenity as he could muster. The next moment a brilliant smile erupted on his face as he realized someone was picking him, someone had looked at him and hadn’t been put off by his various flaws. He thought, perhaps, that he might love the man in front of him. Maybe, just maybe, this soulmate thing wasn't so bad. “I’ll wear them, but you are right. Not today.”

“Which is why I am not asking today.” Jango stood up and held a hand out to him. “Come on, let’s go to the museum and sightsee a little. There is much I want to show you and we don’t have forever.” 

Obi-Wan stared at the offered hand and finally reached out to clasp it with his own. Jango pulled him up to his feet before dragging him out of the room. The sheer happiness he felt from his soulmate was infectious and, for once, he actually looked forward to his birthday. He left the room behind, but most of all, he left the river stone behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (｡♥‿♥｡)
> 
> I know I am updating my stories randomly and I apologize for anyone waiting on a certain one. I write what strikes me and then yeet it out to all of you. I love that you are all putting up with me and reading my stories. If you've only read this one? I still love you too. 
> 
> Stay safe and healthy!


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things just spiraled so fast and Jaster had wanted to kill Qui-Gon. Mace pitied his friend and also wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him. He was sorely tempted to call Count Dooku and see if he was aware of how idiotic Qui-Gon had treated one of his lineage.
> 
> “Mace,” Shmi said with a bit of volume. “You are not talking again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeeeeeeeeeeeey. Long time no post, amirite? This chapter starts with some plots and ends with fluff. You are welcome. 
> 
> I have a three day weekend and the urge to write. I may be three cups of sake in, but I deserve this after one heck of a year.
> 
> Listen, MAY YOUR NEW YEAR BE BORING AND KIND! I love you all.
> 
> CHEERS!

Bajur [BAH-jur]  
 _education, the raising and nurturing of children - a wider meaning than just school work, includes preparation for life and survival_

\---

They were in a fine mess if he said so himself. Master Yoda was probably delighted that Mace was, once again, dealing with the disastrous lineage. Yoda enjoyed his suffering or at least that was what he assumed. Difficulty grows strength, a lesson they all strived to learn. Master Yoda merely made sure he learned more than others.

He frowned as he let thoughts churn about in his head, away from Master Yoda and towards Obi-Wan.

Something had started with Zeffo and was continuing on now. 

Mace hadn’t expected to end up playing Mind Healer to Obi-Wan when the boy and his Master had so plainly lied to his face ages ago on that landing pad. He should have pressed the subject then, saved himself the headache that had been swirling around him ever since. What should he have done differently? No amount of rice wine was going to drown out his thoughts, but he was sure trying to make them swim. Mace eyed his near-empty glass and tried not to make a sound of appreciation when Shmi refilled the glass without asking. The normal nightly drinking sessions involved Jaster, Mace, and Shmi and copious amounts of booze. Today they were meeting during the day, he wasn’t against it, just curious as to the sudden change. 

Sometimes change was well welcome.

His talks with Obi-Wan were bringing things to light that he hadn’t noticed before. The boy, no young man, was doing his best to still protect his Master. He knew the two cared for each other and had felt bad when he had forced a block between their bond, but he hadn’t known what else to do at the time. Things just spiraled so fast and Jaster had wanted to kill Qui-Gon. Mace pitied his friend and also wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him. He was sorely tempted to call Count Dooku and see if he was aware of how idiotic Qui-Gon had treated one of his lineage.

“Mace,” Shmi said with a bit of volume. “You are not talking again.”

Jaster smiled affectionately at the woman before moving to kick Mace’s foot with his own. “Start talking before I decide I don’t like you.”

Those two, he decided, were a partnership. He had been unsure of Shmi at first, thought her timid, but now he realized she was tempered durasteel. Bendable, but not breakable. She was a good match for the Mand’alor. Maybe if there had been more Jedi, if their numbers weren’t small compared to the rest of the galaxy, then maybe they would have found the mother and son duo faster. He could see faint shatter points around her, around Anakin, but it was around Obi-Wan that the largest ones were growing. 

Something was coming. 

Jaster nudged him again and gave him a pointed look. Mace snorted, raised his glass in a mock salute, and downed the whole thing. The liquid burned, just like he had been hoping, but tasted of nothing. “Is there a reason we moved the drinking to midday? I didn’t even have a session with young Kenobi.” 

“Jango is taking him to a museum and I didn’t want to deal with the reports of mayhem that are going to roll in. So we are hiding in my study and pretending both boys know how to behave.” Shmi smacked Jaster lightly on the shoulder while shaking her head. She did this thing, Mace noticed, where she gave a sort of half-smile. Fondness, perhaps even love, that was what emotion he saw when Shmi gazed at the Mand'alor. 

“So if they are on a date,” he asked while he rolled the empty glass around in his fingers. “Then who is watching your grandchildren and Anakin?”

“Quinlan and the boys are being babysat by Myles and Heddurk,” Shmi supplied. Mace blinked and then a laugh escaped him. Quinlan Vos certainly did need babysitting half the time. Now that they were talking about the other energetic padawan he realized he still had a topic to bring up. One where he wasn’t sure he’d get a helpful answer.

“Mand’alor,” he began and Jaster gave him such a sour look that he grinned all teeth and cunning. “Jaster,” he corrected himself. Jaster nodded and waved a hand in a mocking order telling him to continue. “I know you are not exactly fond of Jedi, but Quinlan has a teacher that he has been away from for far too long.”

“I don’t think sending that terror back to your people will help Ob’ika’s recovery,” Jaster said cautiously. Mace felt his grin growing. Perfect, they were on the same page in that regard! 

“Exactly. Master Tholme, if you would allow it, would come here. Both of the boys are a handful and I am not ashamed to admit I require assistance in their teaching. I can vouch for him,” he assured the Mandalorian in front of him before the other could protest. Shmi stayed oddly silent as she listened to them talk. 

Jaster frowned before speaking. “More of you crawling around my home? I don’t know-”

“I think it is a good idea,” Shmi finally interrupted and both of them looked at her in mild surprise. Well, it seemed she was certainly becoming more comfortable speaking her mind. Good. “I have a feeling it will work out well.” Jaster’s face grew cloudy for a moment as he took in that information and then he finally sighed. Mace knew he had won his request. He’d have to thank Shmi later when Jaster wasn’t around.

“Fine, I suppose it won’t hurt. Education is important and I know we cannot give them what they need in regards to that jettise osik you do,” Jaster grumbled in a clear attempt to show how much he still wasn’t a fan of this plan. Mace refrained from laughing and merely settled on bowing his head in thanks. 

Now, he just needed to convince Jaster to allow Master Koon to come along as well. Perhaps he could lean into Jaster's curious nature? Promise to have some holocron copies regarding their history together or something. Jaster did seem to enjoy learning so that would hopefully work.

Ah, well, a problem for a different day.

°

The city was vibrant and a tad overwhelming after being stuck inside for so long. Actually, he knew that wasn't entirely true- he had been allowed in the small gardens which were technically outside, even with the walls surrounding the spaces. His grounding was officially over it seemed. Obi-Wan stopped, just off to the side of pedestrian traffic, and tipped his head back so he could just take a moment. His eyes fluttered shut while he let new sensations wash over him. The sounds, the scents, just the mere thrum of life around him. 

He felt like his heart was beating in time to the pulse of life beneath his feet. Mandalore called to him now that he was outside the walls of the Mand'alor's compound. 

A kiss had him laughing in surprise. "I could have punched you," he informed his soulmate while opening his eyes to level a halfhearted glare. Jango merely smirked before stealing another kiss. Obi-Wan returned the kiss and then promptly shoved the other in the chest. "Cut that out! I want to explore some before we go to the museum… something smells amazing."

"Me, I smell amazing," Jango joked. Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. Yes, he was positive now, he was definitely in love with the idiot. His stomach felt strange, rather like tiny winged creations were having a party inside of it- was this what all those holoromance dramas Bant watched meant when they mentioned butterflies? His best course of action, he decided, was not to dwell on the sensation. Food would stop the butterflies and he knew just what type- whatever was making his mouth water. He grabbed Jango by the shoulders and spun the man around. 

"Find me the source of that smell," he ordered before giving Jango a faint push forward. His other half did as ordered after grabbing his hand. He got the feeling it was more to make sure they didn't get separated then anything. Jango had a mild fear of losing Obi-Wan, he knew this, but he still smiled softly. He rather liked holding hands, he decided. They wove through the throng of people and ended up stopping at a small booth. The hot cooking surface sizzled loudly, spots of grease dancing erratically against the heated durasteel, while a pot of oil bubbled angrily off to the side. His gaze fixated on what the vendor was doing and he barely heard Jango exchange words rapidly in Mando'a. The scent was heady. There was a thick aroma he associated with fried dough, but it was mixed with something briny. Zeffo- the scent reminded him of the waters around Zeffo. Obi-Wan wasn't ashamed that he grinned when he was presented with a skewer of the creations. Four balls of dough were covered in sauces he didn't recognize, along with flakes of something pale in color. 

He had no idea what he held, but he was looking forward to finding out. He went to bite one of the spheres on the stick and blinked in surprise when Jango's hand was suddenly blocking his mouth. 

"Let it cool slightly, otherwise you'll burn your mouth."

Obi-Wan's brows knit together as he debated being stubborn. He wanted to eat, now, but patience would most likely be wise. He gave a jerky nod to show he heard and made a face at his soulmate when the hand squeezed his lower face. 

"I'm serious," he said with his words partly muffled by the hand. "I know enough to listen!" Jango snorted in clear disbelief and for a brief moment, he debated channeling his son. It would be so easy to bite Jango's hand- Suddenly that hand was grabbing his free one and yanking him into movement. His boots scuffed against the well-worn stones beneath them and he grinned. Warmth spread from their twined fingers and wove up his arm. This day had started out so melancholy and now he felt like he was actually happy. Their steps finally stopped at a stone bench and Jango yanked him down so they could sit side by side. 

"Kriff," he blurted out when he realized some of the sauce had oozed free of the food. His vambrace now sported a streak of sauce. He felt like an idiot. He had been given these as a gift and he had already corrupted them. "I'm sorry!" Jango's gaze shifted to the mess and an unreadable emotion shot across the bond. He shifted awkwardly and tried to figure out if Jango was cross with him or not. Obi-Wan felt his confusion grow when his soulmate merely leaned over just enough to press his lips to sauce on the armor. His cheeks started burning at once. What in the Force? 

"Ah- Jango, this is- I could have just-" Further stumbling protests were defeated by the fact he was yanked into a near bruising kiss. Salty spice exploded across his lips. 

Oh! 

Obi-Wan leaned into the kiss, trying to chase after the flavor, but Jango was pulling back while laughing. 

"You can try your snack now." 

He didn't need to be told twice. Obi-Wan yanked one of the dough balls off the skewer and popped it straight into his mouth. He bit down and couldn't help sending a large wave of pleasure and surprise across their bond. Jango made a sound, something akin to a groan, but Obi-Wan was focused on the way the food exploded in flavor. Standing barefoot in warm water, a blast of hot air when walking inside from the cold, and the way Jango made him feel like he was burning up inside with a mere look. 

"Kark," he croaked out once he had finished eating his current mouthful. "I never want to leave this place if that is the food I get!" Smugness, he felt smugness from his soulmate. He snorted and focused on eating the next fried goodness a tad slower. 

"If you want," Jango drawled out while watching him eat. "We can try some more food and then worry about the museum?"

Obi-Wan glanced at him and pushed the food all the way into his mouth with a finger. They could do both? Wait, where were the credits coming from? He certainly didn't have a large amount of funds to pay for all of this on him- the back of Jango's hand landed on the top of his head and he winced in surprise.

What the kriff?

"You are awfully loud, Obes. Don't worry about it, buir gave me some pocket money and I have some of my own." Oh, that made him feel slightly better. And then it hit him, hard, and he flashed Jango a horrified look while chewing quickly.

"How did you know what I was thinking?"

Their bond was getting dangerously close to a strong training bond it seemed. Did the Order know that soulmates had such abilities? Or was it because he was a Force user?

Had he changed what it was to be a soulmate?

Jango looked confused and then also horrified. "Osik… I just had this impression you were worrying about credits? Look. It isn't a bad thing. It isn't like we are talking to each other with our minds. At least not yet."

What? He blinked as he tried to sort this all out, his stomach churning ever so faintly while he did so.

"I'm joking! I think… let's just focus on having a good time and then we can pester buir, okay? He probably knows more about this," Jango said while doing his best to send out a calming aura. Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes in annoyance. He wasn't a youngling that needed comforting, but the idea of not worrying about things for the moment was sound. 

"Fine," he said before licking sauce off the side of his thumb. "I'll follow your plan, for now, but I expect to eat so much I feel sick. And then? You aren't to complain when I want to see every exhibit at the museum."

Jango snickered and nodded right before stealing one of the fried seafood dough balls. Obi-Wan pouted before he could stop himself. He had been planning to eat them all! Well, at least that left more room for something else?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this chapter during the day...and then had to order takoyaki for dinner because I made myself crave it. Takoyaki, if you don't know, will F you up if you try to eat it right away. They are little balls of molten lava. Let em cool just a little bit before popping it all into your mouth.


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m your favorite, aren’t I? Yes, I am,” he told Boba with a smile. The baby gurgled happily and tried to bite down on the edge of his finger. Yuck, so slobbery. When would he outgrow this phase? Boba was cute and kind of gross at the same time. Quin wouldn’t admit it out loud, but he was entranced by the little biter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And yet again I continue my quest to incorporate ridiculous things into my stories. 
> 
> Also, how did I get to 28 chapters? I still have so much planned lol 
> 
> Thank you for keeping with this story!!!!

He got it. Lazing about in what was a small garden was actually comfy. Obes had the right idea by spending every day in this space, even if it was for talks with Windu. Quinlan grinned while he tried to free his fingers from Boba's ironclad grip. 

“I’m your favorite, aren’t I? Yes, I am,” he told Boba with a smile. The baby gurgled happily and tried to bite down on the edge of his finger. Yuck, so slobbery. When would he outgrow this phase? Boba was cute and kind of gross at the same time. Quin wouldn’t admit it out loud, but he was entranced by the little biter. He missed his Master and his friends, and yet, he wanted to stay around to watch all the boys grow up. He had to help Obes, that was what best friends did. Well, that and he wanted to teach Boba inappropriate uses of the Force to annoy his much grumpier buir. 

"Cody, no," Myles raced across the grass and managed to snatch a vine from the toddler. Rex took that distraction as an opening. A peel of laughter escaped the troublemaker as he rushed to the other side of the garden. "You are no help!" Quin snickered and waved his freehand in the air lazily. 

"I'm entertaining Boba."

"You are about to entertain my fist!" Oh, ho, Myles was starting to lose it finally! Quinlan grinned deviously while Boba waved his fists in the air. The atmosphere, despite the threats, was pleasant. 

"Promise?" The glare he earned had him laughing, which in turn set Boba off. Soon enough Rex threw himself across Quinlan's legs like a boneless tooka. A faint oof escaped him and the blonde terror giggled, which set the baby off again. Myles finally stormed over to them, a snickering Cody over his shoulder, and practically threw himself into a seated position next to them. He shifted Cody off his shoulder and into his lap.

“Next time Jango asks me to babysit I am going to tell him to-”

“I found it,” Heddurk called from the entrance of the small garden, Anakin toddling along behind him. Everyone turned to look at them. Oh, that was where Anakin had gotten off to! Quin raised an eyebrow at the large case clutched to Heddurk's chest. “Looks like we left it under Zhiaa’s bed- I hope she doesn’t get mad I was in her room-”

“She won’t,” Myles quickly reassured the younger boy. “Now come on. You said you wanted to plan a new campaign.”

“Campaign,” Quinlan asked curiously. Were they about to deal in warfare tactics? He knew there were a few skirmishes in the sector, various clans clashing with pirates and the like. Plus, he knew, there was that whole issue with that Death Watch group. They had all tangled with them back on Dantooine. Ah, fond memories- 

“For Ruins and Rancors. The Mand’alor bought us an expansion as a reward for a job and I want to start incorporating some of those bits in for our group,” Heddurk said in a no-nonsense voice as he moved to sit near all of them, Anakin a few steps behind him. Quin felt his eyebrows climbing up his forehead. This was, if he wasn’t mistaken, the most Heddurk had even talked to him on purpose. Though, what the kriff was Ruins and Rancors? Myles reached out and began to help Heddurk open the case. The contents were beyond baffling. Sparkling dice, far nicer than the ones he had played with at the few gambling dens he had visited, were in small clear containers. There were tiny statutes of beasts, which were oddly detailed. What was all of this? Heddurk yanked a datapad free and typed in some sort of password.

Quin couldn’t hold his question in anymore. 

“What the kriff is Ruins and Rancors,” he blurted out. Both Mandalorians looked at him with matching looks of shock. A faint sense of annoyance started to fill him. What? He had just asked a simple question! 

Heddurk was actually the first one to recover. “It is a game. You take on the role of a traveler and play out campaigns in hope of reward and riches.” 

A game. 

Quinlan blinked in surprise. 

They were playing a make-believe game. 

“If you are going to be here awhile you are going to need to know how to play,” Myles offered up. “We play a lot. It helps enforce working as a unit, plus helps promote tactical thinking. Heddurk, can we do a pre-made module to teach Quinlan?” Now, hang on a second, he hadn’t said he wanted to learn! He should have known he wouldn’t stand a chance because suddenly Heddurk lit up like a star. The boy dumped so much information at him about the game and the excitement was contagious. Quin shifted so he could focus better, children around him, and let himself learn the basics of Ruins and Rancors as best he could.

Time had no meaning as they worked at creating some characters. He stumbled a few times, feeling awkward, about playing pretend, but after Myles pointed out it was like being undercover he gave in and stopped worrying. Their game finally kicked off and went about how things normally went for Quinlan. _Chaotic._

That was how Mace found them. Myles had his face in his hands while Quin tried to lunge across the mat spread out between the whole group. Cody was dangling off Quinlan's back, arms wrapped around his neck, while he did a good impersonation of a cloak. Heddurk was trying to lean back, clearly keeping out of Quin's reach. Dice and miniatures were scattered haphazardly over the mat. Rex was trying to stop Boba from swallowing a large colorful dice. Boba loved putting things in his mouth. Anakin was sitting next to Myles and amusing himself by playing some sort of game on a spare datapad, talking to himself as he did. 

"What," Mace breathed out. 

“Ruins and Rancors,” Heddurk said in a stressed sounding tone. “Quin didn’t like the fact a trap poisoned him, but I am just following the rules!” Mace stood there silently for a moment before letting out a sound of displeasure. His hands vanished into his sleeves as he marched over to them. Quin settled back, watching the Master warily. Mace merely picked Boba up while sitting down and somehow retrieved the dice from impending danger. The now very wet die was tossed onto the mat while Boba was securely trapped on the Jedi’s lap. Mace had made himself comfortable with the group. This, Quin decided, had to be some sort of trap. 

“Well, then, perhaps you would allow me to run this module so you can properly show Quinlan how to behave like a true traveler?” 

“What the kark-” Quinlan winced as Mace shot him a disapproving look. 

“The only dramatics I want, Padawan, is in character.”

Obes couldn’t get back fast enough.

°

Bits of dough was flaking off in his hands, but he didn’t care. The smell was intoxicating! Jango had said it was full of spiced meat, tubers, and some sort of sauce. Obi-Wan was debating if he should just take a large bite or wait. The heat radiating into his hands was a sure sign that the innards of the baked concoction were going to be molten. His gaze was fixed solely on the food while Jango steered them through the crowd.

“If you keep staring at it like that, Obes, I’m going to start getting jealous,” Jango teased with a faint smirk that Obi-Wan caught out of the corner of his eyes. The tips of his ears flushed instantly. That- He wasn’t staring at the food adoringly! 

“You are the worst,” he muttered before finally taking a large bite of his prize. The crust was soft, buttery, and seemed to melt in his mouth. What he had thought was going to be super runny inside was not- there were large chunks of soft tubers and tender meat, all coated in the sauce. He had to stop himself from moaning happily. Flavors burst inside his mouth and raced through his body. Battling droids, jumping into a still lake, dancing drunkenly back on the ship- Kriff, it was addictive. The hand on his elbow tightened a fraction before a strange hot emotion slammed into his mind. Oh, dear, he had been projecting his joy about the food at Jango again. He tried to yank his shields back up, but Jango was already pulling him into a space between buildings. A startled sound escaped him as his back hit the wall rather abruptly.

“Jango-” A mouth covered his and all thoughts about blocking the bond dissipated like water on a hot day. His free arm moved of its own accord and ended up wrapped around his soulmate’s neck. He held his food out slightly to the side, so it wouldn’t get damaged or dropped, and leaned happily into the kiss. Obi-Wan had recently discovered he was a huge fan of this activity. 

It was the sound of a throat clearing that had Jango pulling back slightly. Obi-Wan froze, cheeks darkening in a strange feeling of embarrassment. He wasn’t ashamed to have been kissing Jango, no, it was more he was kicking himself for not controlling himself better. He was a Jedi Padawan and he still had to carry himself with some semblance of decorum. Jango only turned his head towards the source of the noise, not moving away from him, and really, that was not helping the situation any. 

“Jango,” a feminine voice said the name with clear judgment. “Why am I not surprised you are misbehaving in darkened alleyways?” 

Obi-Wan felt his soulmate both physically and mentally tense. 

“ _Satine,_ ” Jango bit out. “Why are you spying on me?” Satine, Obi-Wan decided, looked like she could have belonged among the senators on Coruscant. An air of fragileness that hid a deadly backbone. Her eyes flashed with annoyance, but she graced them with an elegant smile. 

“I was hardly spying. I saw you yank someone into an alleyway and I came to make sure you weren’t about to murder them, but dear me. It seems I have stumbled on something else,” Satine waved a hand in front of her face in a mockery of being embarrassed. Obi-Wan wanted the ground to open up and swallow him whole. 

“Why would Jango murder someone?” The words ripped free of his mouth before he could stop himself. Jango, for his part, snorted with dry amusement. Satine, however, looked like he had just punched her. She recovered quickly and raised her chin up a fraction, rather like she was looking down on him.

“Because he solves everything with violence,” she said as if that was the only truth in the galaxy. Obi-Wan blinked in surprise. 

“Violence and murder aren’t the same things. Also, Jango does not. That is awfully rude of you if I do say so myself.” Pride and satisfaction raced across their bond. Jango was pleased with being defended. Obi-Wan was not as pleased when his soulmate leaned into him more, the distracting jerk. 

“What would you know,” Satine countered. “I grew up with him! Jango has always been a hothead.” Her voice had raised a faint octave and then a sort of clarity hit him. Oh, she was jealous! He glanced at Jango, raising an eyebrow, before looking at Satine again. 

“You like him,” he pointed out and felt Jango’s disbelief slam into his mind. “You know, usually when people have a crush on someone they don’t go around disparaging their character.” The pale complexion on the other’s face started to turn scarlet with what he assumed was rage. 

“I do not! How dare you- Who are you? Besides Jango’s latest fling.” 

Oh, ouch, that one stung a little. 

“He’s my intended, Satine. Did you miss the vambraces he is wearing when you barged in on us kissing?” Obi-Wan blinked and shifted his attention back to his soulmate. The taste of the kiss was fading the longer this conversation went on. Yet, for some reason, there was a warmth growing in his chest. He was Jango’s. Jango’s was his. 

“I’m Obi-Wan,” he finally said as he threw a charming smile towards Satine. She looked off-balanced again and then she simply sniffed. He felt a little bad for pointing out her crush, but she had been annoying him. His tactics, perhaps, had been a tad petty, but when it came to his soulmate he felt oddly protective. Jango wasn’t some violent brute that went about murdering people in alleys. Jango was a man that freaked out when Boba ate too fast and then spit up. Hardly a vicious murderer. 

“Satine,” she replied while crossing her arms over her chest. When she moved it was like tiny bells went off in her elaborate braided hairstyle. She was rather overdressed for walking around, he thought. “What are you doing, I mean besides the obvious.”

“Oh, we are going to the museum. Jango promised to let me look at every exhibit.” Satine’s eyes lit up and her whole demeanor changed. Obi-Wan did a double-take at the sudden change in mood. Jango just simply sighed before stepping away, leaving the front of him oddly cold. 

“Now you’ve done it, di’kut,” his soulmate drawled out. Done what?

“I love the museum! Will this be your first time? You simply have to see the murals from Sundari!” Obi-Wan could only stare at the now bubbly girl standing in front of him. “We should also see-” Wait, had she just invited herself along? Jango merely groaned before motioning for everyone to start walking. “The exhibit on weaving. Some of the finest tapestries are on display there, along with the looms used to create them.” 

What was going on? He took a few more bites of his food as they walked and listened to Satine prattle on about the various things they should check out the museum. He was still unsure how she had just inserted herself into the date, but Jango wasn’t telling her to get karked. He chewed slowly while he watched his soulmate through his lashes. Jango looked and felt faintly annoyed, but also amused. A few more bites and his stomach finally started to protest. Obi-Wan frowned down at the large portion of food left. Maybe he should have gotten this before he had eaten the red bean paste filled dough Mythosaurs? They had been delicious, as had the fried tubers slathered in some sort of cheesy spice sauce. He was, sadly and painfully, full. 

“Jango,” he whispered just loud enough to get the other’s attention. Jango glanced at him and raised an eyebrow in question. Obi-Wan held out the rest of his food and grinned sheepishly. There was a faint question across the bond and then his soulmate was taking the food from him in order to finish it off. Wasting food was a horrible thing to do and he was glad Jango was there to eat what he couldn't.

“Oh,” Satine suddenly said rather loudly. Excitement was clear in her words. “After the museum, we can go get shaved ice! I am partial to the honey one.”

Obi-Wan stared at her for a moment before smiling softly. Well, it looked like they were stuck with her for the time being. How strange.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Satine is a judgemental teenager that has room to grow. Obi-Wan has no idea what to do with her.


End file.
